The United States will allow an Iranian delegation, including President Masoud Pezeshkian, to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week, a State Department spokesperson said Thursday.
The decision comes despite the ongoing conflict between Washington and Tehran, which has now continued for seven months. A source familiar with the matter confirmed that Pezeshkian would be covered by the US approval.
“Consistent with our host country obligations, the core delegation from the Iranian regime will be able to attend UN General Assembly High Level Week,” the State Department spokesperson said.
The official, however, said the Iranian delegation would be smaller than last year’s group. Delegates will also be subject to travel restrictions and will not be permitted to purchase luxury goods and certain other products.
The conflict escalated after US and Israeli strikes against Iran began in late February, triggering a broader crisis across the Middle East.
Iran subsequently blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global energy shipments. The disruption contributed to a sharp increase in international oil prices and affected maritime traffic in the region.
Fighting between the United States and Iran has intensified again in recent weeks. Shipping has also remained disrupted around the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab Al-Mandab Strait off Yemen, where Houthi rebels have maintained control and launched attacks on maritime traffic.
Washington’s decision to permit the Iranian delegation comes at the same time as the US has denied Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas a visa to attend the UN General Assembly, according to a source familiar with the decision.
It is the second consecutive year that the United States has taken such action against Abbas. Last year, the Trump administration’s decision prevented the Palestinian leader from attending the UN gathering in person, forcing him to address the assembly through a video message.
The State Department, without naming Abbas directly, said it would deny visas to members of the Palestine Liberation Organization and officials from the Palestinian Authority.
The department said the decision was linked to what it described as a failure to implement reforms promised to Washington and activities that it said were undermining prospects for peace.
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