US to allow Iranian officials to attend UN General Assembly
The United States will grant visas to a core Iranian delegation for next week’s UN General Assembly despite ongoing conflict and intermittent talks.
New York, United States. The Trump administration will allow senior Iranian officials, including President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, to attend next week’s United Nations General Assembly, the State Department said on Thursday.
The decision comes as Washington and Tehran remain at war and continue intermittent talks aimed at ending the conflict.
Visa decision and restrictions
A State Department spokesperson said a “core delegation from the Iranian regime” would be permitted to attend in accordance with the United States’ obligations as host country of the United Nations.
A source familiar with the decision said Pezeshkian and Araqchi would receive visas. The spokesperson said the delegation would face travel restrictions and prohibitions on purchasing luxury and other goods, and would be smaller than last year’s delegation.
In previous years, the United States restricted Iranian delegates’ movement to travel between UN headquarters, Iran’s UN mission, the residence of the Iranian UN ambassador and John F Kennedy Airport, and barred them from certain shops.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Host country obligations
Under the 1947 UN headquarters agreement, the United States is generally required to permit foreign diplomats access to the United Nations. Washington has said it may deny visas on security, terrorism and foreign policy grounds.
The Trump administration has held intermittent discussions with Iranian leaders aimed at ending the war that began on February 28, when the United States and Israel attacked Iran. Tehran responded with strikes on Israel and Gulf states hosting US bases.
Palestinian officials denied entry
On Wednesday, the Trump administration said it would deny entry to Palestinian officials for the UN meeting, extending a ban introduced last year.
Washington cited Palestinian efforts to “internationalize the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” including pursuing cases against Israel at international tribunals. A Palestinian official said Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was denied a visa under the measure.
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