US Grants Visas to Iranian Officials for UN General Assembly

The US State Department announced on Thursday that the Trump administration will permit senior Iranian officials to attend the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in New York. This decision comes despite ongoing hostility between Washington and Tehran and intermittent talks aimed at ending the war.

A State Department spokesperson stated that a "core delegation from the Iranian regime" would be allowed to attend, adhering to US obligations as the host nation for the UN. Sources familiar with the decision indicated that visas would be issued to officials including Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

The US and Israel initiated a conflict on February 28th, with Iran retaliating with strikes against Israel and US-hosted bases in Gulf states. The Trump administration has engaged in sporadic discussions with Iranian leaders to resolve the war.

However, the Iranian delegation will face travel restrictions, including prohibitions on purchasing luxury goods, and their delegation will be smaller than last year's. Previously, the US government had restricted the Iranian delegation's movement between UN headquarters, Iran's UN mission, the Iranian ambassador's residence, and JFK Airport.

Under the 1947 UN Headquarters Agreement, the US generally must allow foreign diplomats entry to UN headquarters. The US, however, reserves the right to deny visas on "security, terrorism, or foreign policy grounds."

Separately, the US announced on Wednesday it would deny visas to Palestinian officials for the UN meeting, extending a ban from last year. This action is reportedly due to their efforts to "internationalize the Israeli-Palestinian conflict," including pursuing legal action against Israel in international courts. A Palestinian official confirmed that President Mahmoud Abbas was denied a visa as part of this measure.