Issuance of US Visas for Iranian Students from Turkey 'Has Been Halted'

On Tuesday, October 9, the state news agency reported that the issuance of US student visas for Iranian students and graduates from Turkey has been halted. The Mehr news agency also published a similar report stating that the US embassy in Turkey announced in a statement last night that the issuance of non-immigrant visas at its embassy and consulates in Turkey has been suspended. The Hurriyet newspaper's website noted that the US embassy and consulates in Turkey have stopped issuing visas to 'minimize the number of visitors to the embassy.' IRNA also cited unofficial news sources in Turkey stating that the US made this decision due to concerns over 'the security of its personnel and diplomats in Turkey.' According to this report, it seems that Washington took this decision in response to the arrest of Metin Topuz, an employee of the US consulate in Istanbul. Topuz, a local employee at the US consulate in Istanbul, was arrested a week ago by the Istanbul prosecutor's order on charges of 'having connections with the Fethullah Gülen organization' by the security police and was sent to prison. Some Turkish media have claimed that he was a 'member' of the Gülen group and worked as a 'liaison' at the US consulate. According to these reports, Metin Topuz had connections with some 'former police chiefs in Turkey who were also linked to Gülen.' ISNA also reported that after Topuz's arrest, Bekir Bozdağ, the Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey, stated that 'the US representation in Turkey should ask itself why it employed a suspect linked to the organization associated with Fethullah Gülen without informing Turkish authorities.' Bozdağ added in response to a question from a reporter from Turkey's Channel 24 that 'the US consulate in Istanbul should be accountable for employing a suspect related to the Gülen group.' According to the state news agency, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Turkey's Foreign Minister, also reiterated the accusations against Topuz regarding 'espionage, attempts to overthrow the legitimate government of Turkey, and connections with the leaders of the failed coup on July 15' in the country. Çavuşoğlu said, 'If he has committed a crime, working in a certain place will not grant him immunity.' The US embassy in Ankara denies any connection between Metin Topuz and the Abdullah Gülen group. Following the failed coup in Turkey and the US's refusal to extradite Fethullah Gülen, who current officials in Ankara accuse of being the primary instigator of the coup, relations between Washington and Ankara have soured. In this context, Turkey and the US have suspended the issuance of visas for each other's citizens.