TEHRAN – In a move widely seen as part of a broader anti-immigration agenda, U.S. President Donald Trump has signed a sweeping executive order imposing a complete travel ban on nationals from 12 countries—including Iran—and introducing partial entry restrictions on citizens from seven others.

The announcement, made by the White House late Wednesday, marks a dramatic escalation in Trump’s second-term immigration crackdown. The directive will take effect on June 9, 2025.

Among those facing a full ban on entry to the United States are nationals from Iran, Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen, Sudan, Somalia, Myanmar, Congo, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, and Haiti. In addition, individuals from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela will face varying levels of restrictions.

Justifying the controversial order, Trump cited what he called the need to prevent the entry of individuals “who wish to do us harm,” referencing a recent incident at a pro-Israel rally in Colorado. He claimed the event demonstrated the “dangers posed by inadequately vetted foreign nationals” and warned against what he termed the “open migration crisis” affecting parts of Europe.

“We cannot allow what’s happening in Europe to happen here,” Trump said in a video posted to social media platform X. “Very simply, we cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet and screen those who seek to enter the United States.”

Critics, however, have denounced the move as discriminatory and politically motivated, pointing out that many of the targeted countries are either Muslim-majority or have long opposed U.S. foreign policies. Iran has consistently condemned such blanket policies, which it views as violating international norms and targeting nations based on political disagreements or religious identity.

The new measure follows earlier executive actions in January mandating heightened security screenings for all foreign nationals seeking U.S. visas. In March, Reuters reported that Washington was reviewing additional country-specific restrictions, many of which are now formalized in the latest order.