US approves visas for Iran's Pezeshkian and Araghchi to attend UN General Assembly

September 18, 2026 at 10:05 AM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

The Trump administration has approved visas for Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to attend the high-level week of the UN General Assembly in New York. The State Department said the core Iranian delegation and necessary staff received visas, with movement restrictions and a ban on luxury purchases. The decision comes amid a more than six-month US-Iran conflict and a day after the State Department refused visas to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Key Facts

The US State Department approved visas for the core Iranian delegation, including President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, to attend the UN General Assembly high-level week in New York.
The Iranian delegation will face movement restrictions in New York and a ban on purchasing luxury goods and certain other items.
The State Department said the 2026 Iranian delegation will be smaller than in 2025.
The visa approval was announced one day after the State Department refused visas to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his delegation for the UN General Assembly session.
The 81st session of the UN General Assembly has already begun in New York, with the high-level week and general debate scheduled for September 22–28.

Visa Approval

The Trump administration approved visas for Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to attend the high-level week of the UN General Assembly in New York. The State Department said the core Iranian delegation and necessary staff received visas, citing US obligations as the host country. The 2026 delegation will be smaller than in 2025, according to the State Department. The 1947 agreement obliges Washington to ensure unimpeded access for representatives of all UN member states, despite unstable political relations with Tehran.

Restrictions on Delegation

Iranian diplomats will face strict movement restrictions in New York and a ban on purchasing luxury goods and certain other items. The State Department confirmed the restrictions apply to the core delegation led by Pezeshkian and Araghchi, as well as accompanying technical staff. The visa decision was announced amid a more than six-month conflict between the US and Iran.

Context and Timing

The visa approval came one day after the State Department refused visas to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his delegation for the UN General Assembly session. The 81st session of the UN General Assembly has already begun in New York, with the high-level week and general debate scheduled for September 22–28.