The Obama administration said on Tuesday that the nomination of a new Iranian ambassador to the UN who was involved in the 1979 hostage crisis was “not viable”, intensifying a dispute that could have an impact on nuclear negotiations. Jay Carney, White House spokesman, said that the nomination of Hamid Aboutalebi to be Iran ’s ambassador to the UN was “extremely troubling”. He was speaking hours after the senate voted unanimously in favour of a bill that would prevent Mr Aboutalebi from taking up his post by denying him a visa. The measure is expected to pass the House of Representatives. The dispute over the Iranian nominee comes as a fresh round of negotiations with Iran over its nuclear programme opened in Vienna on Tuesday. Iran defended the nomination of Mr Aboutalebi on Tuesday. “Iran has selected a veteran diplomat with a clear and successful [diplomatic] record as […]