Indonesian government had informed the Iranian embassy in Jakarta with regard to its decision to familiarize it among their citizens.Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia has revoked its visa on arrival facility for Iranian nationals to prevent asylum seekers using the facility for going to Australia.
The cabinet secretariat on its official website said here on Thursday the decision was taken after long evaluation.
"We have noticed there are strong indications that the visa-on-arrival facility has often been misused as shown by the big difference in the number of incoming and outgoing citizens from that country," foreign ministry spokesman Michael Tene said in his statement announcing the decision.
In view of that he said the Indonesian government finally revoked the policy for Iranian citizens, adding that the initial intention of providing the facility was for promoting tourism and increasing the number of tourists from that country.
He said the Indonesian government had informed the Iranian embassy in Jakarta with regard to its decision to familiarize it among their citizens.
Tene said not all countries are given the facility while evaluation of countries receiving it has always been done from time to time.
He said Iranian immigrants have often brought problems as they have often made the country their transit location before leaving for Australia.
On Tuesday (30/7) 60 immigrants from Iran were found floating in the middle of the sea at the Nusakambangan strait in Cilacap, Central Java, after their wooden boat leaked and later capsized and were later evacuated to Liberian-flagged ship MV Chemtrass Rugen that helped them.
The boat carrying the Iranian nationals sailed from Jampang village in Sukabumi, West Java, on Saturday evening to Australia with Ambo as its skipper and Iden Irianto as its crew who are all Indonesian citizens.
The boat leaked and capsized after sailing for 55 miles from land. (*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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