U.S. restricts Iranian diplomats from wholesale clubs, luxury purchases

The United States has barred Iranian diplomats attending the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York from shopping at wholesale club stores, such as Costco, and purchasing luxury goods, the U.S. State Department said on Monday.

"The United States took action this week to impose maximum pressure on the Iranian regime by restricting their UNGA delegation's movement and access to wholesale club stores and luxury goods," the department said in a statement.

The Iranian delegation is also restricted to the areas strictly necessary to transit to and from the UN headquarters district to conduct their official UN business, the statement added.

The department's Office of Foreign Missions determined that diplomatic memberships in wholesale club stores as well as diplomats' ability to buy items such as watches, furs, jewelry, handbags, wallets, perfumes, tobacco, alcohol and cars are a "benefit" requiring U.S. government approval, according to an office notice available online.

The public notice, scheduled to publish on the Federal Register Tuesday, said Iranian diplomats and their dependents must obtain approval from the Department of State before "obtaining or otherwise retaining membership at any wholesale club store in the United States, to include but not limited to Costco, Sam's Club, or BJ's Wholesale Club, and acquiring items from such wholesale club stores through any means."

In addition, Iranian diplomats in the United States must also seek permission to buy items valued at more than $1,000 and vehicles valued at more than $60,000, local media reported.

The move is the latest in the U.S. President Donald Trump administration's visa restrictions on foreign diplomats seeking to serve as representatives at the United Nations. Representatives from UN member states, including some 150 heads of state and government, are in New York this week for the High-level Week of the 80th session of the UNGA. Iran is the only country whose diplomats were specifically targeted, according to The Associated Press.