PARIS: Several world leaders and governments have hit out at the immigration restrictions imposed by US President Donald Trump. Here are some of the top reactions:

Britain

Downing Street said on Sunday Prime Minister Theresa May does “not agree” with the restrictions and would intervene if they affected British nationals. While US immigration is a matter for Washington, “we do not agree with this kind of approach and it is not one we will be taking.”

Iran

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif slammed Trump’s move as “a clear insult to the Islamic world” and said it “will be recorded in history as a great gift to extremists and their supporters.” Zarif said Trump’s decision “only serves to provide a fertile ground for more terrorist recruitment by deepening the ruptures and fault-lines which have been exploited by extremist demagogues to swell their ranks.” His ministry said earlier it would reciprocate with a ban on Americans entering the country, though it will not apply to those who already have a valid visa.

Germany

Angela Merkel’s spokesman said the German chancellor “regrets the entry ban” and “is convinced that even in the necessarily resolute battle against terrorism, it is not justified to place people from a certain origin or belief under general suspicion.” Berlin “will now examine the consequences” of the ban for German citizens with dual nationality affected by the decision, added the spokesman.

Canada

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau welcomed Canadian immigrants in a sunny Twitter message written in stark contrast to Donald Trump’s order temporarily banning all refugees and many Muslims from travelling to the United States. “To those fleeing persecution, terror & war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength #WelcomeToCanada.”

Canada has welcomed more than 39,670 Syrian refugees between November 2015 and the beginning of this January, according to government figures.

France

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said: “Welcoming refugees who are fleeing war is part of our duty.” “We must ... ensure that this happens in a fair, just way and with solidarity ... This decision can only cause us concern.”

Published in Dawn January 30th, 2017