US Grants Visas to Iranian Officials for UN Assembly
The US has granted visas to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and other senior officials to attend next week's UN General Assembly in New York, though they face travel restrictions and cannot purchase luxury goods under American sanctions
The US State Department has approved visas for senior Iranian officials to attend the 81st UN General Assembly in New York next week, as tensions between the two countries enter their seventh month of conflict. The authorized delegation includes Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
The State Department confirmed the decision on Thursday, stating that the delegation will face travel restrictions and be prohibited from purchasing certain American products. "In order to fulfill our obligations as the host country, the principal delegation from the Iranian government will be able to participate in the high-level meeting of the UN General Assembly," the State Department said, adding that the delegation will be subject to travel limitations and restrictions on buying luxury goods and other items under US policy.
Since 2025, Iranian diplomats have been barred from shopping at wholesale retailers like Costco and must obtain US permission before purchasing luxury items including jewelry, alcohol, and vehicles.
US State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott posted on the X platform: "We will not allow Iran's ruling elite to use the UN General Assembly platform as an opportunity to shop for luxury goods with money extracted from the suffering of the Iranian people, while their government channels the nation's wealth to support terrorist proxies."
