The US has approved visas for a reduced Iranian delegation, including President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, to attend the UN General Assembly in New York despite an ongoing war now in its seventh month. The State Department said the delegation will face travel restrictions and bans on purchasing certain US luxury goods, and officials described this year’s team as smaller than last year’s. The decision comes as UNGA opens and global pressure mounts to find a resolution to the regional conflict, which began on 28 February.
US Grants Visas to Reduced Iranian Delegation for UN General Assembly Amid Ongoing War
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian (L) shakes hands with the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres at last year's assembly [Getty Images]
The US government has approved visas for a limited delegation of Iranian officials to travel to New York for the UN General Assembly next week, even as the conflict between the two countries enters its seventh month.
The BBC reports that the core delegation cleared to attend includes Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. A State Department spokesman confirmed the visa decision, saying the delegation will travel under restrictions and will be barred from purchasing certain American luxury goods.
Restrictions and Rationale
The State Department said the delegation will be subject to travel limits and prohibitions on buying luxury and other goods, consistent with US policy and its host-country obligations to the UN. Officials added that this year's Iranian delegation is smaller than last year’s.
Diplomats from Iran who attended in the previous year were prohibited from shopping at wholesale retailers such as Costco and had to obtain US permission before purchasing luxury items including jewellery, alcohol and cars.
What US Officials Said
State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said the US would prevent the diplomats from "going on shopping sprees" while ordinary Iranians face water and electricity shortages, "brutal repression" and "soaring inflation."
In a post on X, Pigott warned that the US would not allow "the Iranian regime's elites [to] exploit UNGA for a luxury retail splurge paid for by the Iranian people's suffering, all while the regime funnels Iran's wealth to support its terrorist proxies," and urged New York retailers to be vigilant. He did not indicate whether the US had specific evidence the delegation intended to buy luxury items.
Event Context
The 81st session of the UN General Assembly is currently underway. The General Debate — the annual highlight of UNGA — is due to begin on Tuesday. Reports indicate a programme that includes high-level speeches from leaders from the US, UK and France, with addresses from the leaders of Ukraine, Syria and Iran expected later in the week.
The visa decision comes amid growing pressure on world leaders to pursue a path toward ending the conflict, which began on 28 February when the US and Israel launched joint strikes in Iran. Since then, Iran has launched repeated attacks on US bases and allied forces in the Gulf and has also struck at Israel. The conflict has contributed to rising global energy prices and a wider regional security crisis.
Other Diplomatic Moves
The BBC also reported that the US denied visas to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian delegation for the second year running; the White House said it does not recognise the delegation's legitimacy. Separately, UN experts have said there are grounds to believe the US committed war crimes in strikes on Iran, while imagery has shown widespread damage at US sites from Iranian retaliatory attacks.
Note: This article is based on reporting by the BBC and official US State Department statements. Some scheduling and speaker details are reported by sources and may be subject to change.
Help us improve.
