US allows Iranian leadership to attend UN General Assembly amid war

The administration of US President Donald Trump will allow key representatives of Iran's leadership to come to New York to participate in the UN General Assembly. The decision was made despite the ongoing war between Washington and Tehran.

Reuters reported this on September 17, citing the US State Department, reports.

A State Department spokesperson said that the US will admit Iran's "core delegation" to the high-level week of the General Assembly in accordance with Washington's obligations as the host country of the UN headquarters.

According to a Reuters source familiar with the decision, the permission extends to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. They will be issued the necessary visas for the trip.

At the same time, Washington is imposing a number of restrictions on Iranian representatives. The delegation will be able to move only within established limits, and its members will be prohibited from buying luxury items and certain other goods. Additionally, this year the Iranian delegation will be smaller than during the previous General Assembly.

The decision to allow the Iranian leadership comes amid the ongoing armed conflict. The war began on February 28 after US and Israeli strikes on Iran, to which Tehran responded with attacks on Israel and Gulf states where American military installations are located.

However, contacts between Washington and Tehran have not completely ceased. According to Reuters, the Trump administration periodically holds talks with the Iranian leadership, trying to find terms for ending the conflict. So far, these contacts have not led to an agreement.

As the host country of the UN headquarters, the US must ensure access for representatives of member states to the organization's events. At the same time, Washington can impose certain restrictions on the movement of foreign delegations. The UN has repeatedly seen disputes over American visa and transportation restrictions for representatives of certain countries.

The 81st session of the UN General Assembly opened in New York on September 8, and high-level meetings of world leaders will take place in the coming days.