Amirshahi told POLITICO on Wednesday that he had said on his visa application his trip was part of an effort to “build a progressive alliance and understand life in the United States under the Trump presidency” — a framing that, he said, led him to believe the initial refusal was politically motivated.
Amirshahi said he had been in direct contact with French President Emmanuel Macron about the matter and received a formal note from France’s foreign ministry confirming that he was traveling in his capacity as a parliamentarian.
During a press conference Thursday, Amirshahi said he was scheduled to attend several meetings with elected American officials and public figures, including New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.
