The United States will permit senior Iranian officials to attend the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in New York, despite ongoing tensions between Washington and Tehran. This decision aligns with the U.S.’s responsibilities as the host nation under the 1947 UN headquarters agreement, which generally allows foreign diplomats access to the UN.
Among the Iranian delegation expected to receive visas are President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi. However, their travel within the U.S. will be restricted to specific locations such as the UN headquarters, Iran’s UN mission, and the ambassador’s residence, consistent with previous U.S. policies limiting Iranian officials’ movements.
This diplomatic development occurs against the backdrop of intermittent talks aimed at resolving the conflict that erupted on February 28 following U.S. and Israeli military strikes on Iran. In response, Iran launched retaliatory attacks on Israel and Gulf states hosting U.S. military bases.
While Iranian officials are set to attend the assembly, the U.S. has denied entry to Palestinian officials, including President Mahmoud Abbas. The decision reflects Washington’s discretionary power under the UN headquarters agreement to deny visas on grounds of security, terrorism, or foreign policy.