Iran cancer researcher claims denied entry in the US

An Iranian cancer researcher with alleged links to a hardline militia in the Islamic republic says he was denied entry to the United States and deported with his family.

Mohsen Dehnavi had flown to the US with his wife and three small children to conduct postdoctoral research at Boston Children’s Hospital, affiliated with Harvard University.

They were stopped by the immigration police at Boston’s Logan international airport and deported the next day, Dehnavi told state broadcaster IRIB at Tehran airport on Wednesday night.

“The US government, with the new restrictions on Iranians, did not let us enter although the goal of our trip was scientific and our research was aimed at saving cancer patients,” he said.

Dehnavi said the police detained them for 30 hours without any outside contact and confiscated his research equipment and laptop.

“They said it is clear to us that you are a top scientist in children’s cancer treatment which is a completely humane, non- military and non- dangerous field, but we cannot allow you into the US due to existing security protocols,” he said.

Dehnavi said he had been in contact with Harvard for two years and obtained his visa in March.

According to the archives of the conservative Fars news agency, Dehnavi was head of the Basij militia at the prestigious Sharif University in 2007.