 "Calling him a hostage-taker is simply wrong", Asgharzadeh said.Due to the claims, Aboutalebi's appointment as ambassador to the UN has been opposed by numerous U.S. lawmakers and diplomats, some of whom have asked the US Department of State to deny his application for a visa.On 1 April 2014, in the United States Senate, Republican Senator Ted Cruz introduced Senate bill 2195, a bill that would allow the President of the United States to deny a visa to any ambassador to the United Nations who has been found to have been engaged in espionage activities or a terrorist activity against the United States or its allies, and may pose a threat to U.S. national security interests.