President Barack Obama signed a bill Friday amending federal law to bar terrorists or others deemed to be threats to the United States entry to the country to serve as U.N. Ambassadors, Time magazine reports. The measure was passed in response to Iran selecting Hamid Aboutalebi, who allegedly participated in the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis, as its next Ambassador to the U.N.

The White House already announced that a request for a visa for Aboutalebi would be denied, Time reports. Iran is protesting this decision.