Iran's Pezeshkian, Araghchi to get US visas for UN General Assembly

The Trump administration will allow Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to attend the UN General Assembly in New York next week, despite the ongoing US-Iran war and intermittent talks aimed at ending the conflict.

In Short

• State Department cited host nation obligations under the 1947 UN agreement
• Masoud Pezeshkian and Abbas Araghchi are among officials expected to travel
• The conflict began after US and Israeli attacks on Iran

The Trump administration will allow a core delegation of top Iranian officials to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week, even as the US and Iran remain at war and continue intermittent talks aimed at ending the conflict.

The State Department said on Thursday that the Iranian delegation would be permitted to attend the meeting in line with the United States' obligations as the host country of the United Nations. A source familiar with the decision told Reuters that the Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi would be among those granted visas.

The war began on February 28, when the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran. Tehran responded with strikes on Israel and Gulf states hosting US military bases. Since then, Washington and Tehran have held on-again, off-again talks focused on ending the conflict.

TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS FOR IRANIAN DELEGATION

The State Department spokesperson said the Iranian delegation would remain subject to travel restrictions and prohibitions on purchasing luxury and other goods under existing US policy.

"The delegation will be under travel restrictions and will face prohibitions on the purchase of luxury and other goods per our policy," the spokesperson said, adding that the delegation would be smaller than last year's.

The US has previously restricted the movements of Iranian officials in New York, limiting their travel largely to the United Nations headquarters, Iran's UN mission, the residence of its UN ambassador and John F Kennedy International Airport.

Iran's Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

US OBLIGATIONS UNDER UN AGREEMENT

Under the 1947 UN headquarters agreement, the United States is generally required to facilitate access to the United Nations for foreign diplomats. However, Washington maintains that visas can be denied on grounds including security, terrorism and foreign policy.

The decision to allow the Iranian delegation comes a day after the Trump administration said it would deny entry to Palestinian officials seeking to attend the UN General Assembly.

The US said the move, which extends a ban imposed last year, was linked to actions it said were aimed at "internationalising the Israeli-Palestinian conflict", including pursuing cases against Israel at international tribunals.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was among those denied a visa, according to a Palestinian official.

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