The Trump administration has granted entry visas to key Iranian officials—including President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi—allowing them to attend next week’s high-level United Nations General Assembly in New York, even as the two nations remain in an ongoing military conflict.
Speaking anonymously due to visa privacy regulations, American officials confirmed that the State Department approved visas on Thursday for Tehran’s “core delegation” and essential support staff.
The decision stands out as unusual given the six-month-old war between Washington and Tehran, alongside stagnant negotiations regarding the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear program. The move also comes amid heightened regional tensions, with Iranian-backed Houthi rebels intensifying strikes on shipping in the Red Sea and Saudi infrastructure, contributing to rising global oil prices. Furthermore, Washington continues to label Iran as the top state sponsor of terrorism and recently launched a campaign targeting its “critical financial lifelines” through heavy sanctions.
While the U.S. is generally required to permit foreign leaders to access UN headquarters as the host nation, Washington has previously refused or discouraged visa requests from adversaries involved in direct military conflicts with the United States.
During last year’s UN proceedings—prior to the outbreak of war in February but following joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites in June 2025—the State Department similarly permitted a limited Iranian presence while imposing strict travel radius limits and banning diplomats from bulk retail stores like Costco and Sam’s Club.
The approval for Iran’s leaders came just one day after Washington refused entry visas for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his accompanying delegation.
“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 said.
“The delegation will be under travel restrictions and will face prohibitions on the purchase of luxury and other goods per our policy. The delegation is smaller than last year.”
U.S. officials accused the Palestinian Authority—which oversees portions of the occupied West Bank—of attempting to “internationalize” the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza by filing actions before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC), as well as maintaining financial stipends to prisoners detained in Israel over attacks.
Rebutting the U.S. decision, the Palestinian Authority called Israel’s policies “the real threat to the two-state solution and prospects for peace,” emphasizing that Ramallah remains dedicated to political negotiations while defending its efforts to secure international legal recognition.
“Punitive measures and restrictions imposed on Palestinian officials do not contribute to advancing peace or combating violence,” the authority’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
“Rather, they weaken the Palestinian partner committed to a political solution and encourage forces working to undermine the two-state solution and impose the reality of occupation, settlement and annexation by force.”
Although the United States does not recognize the Palestinian Authority as a sovereign member state government, the UN General Assembly and its subsidiary bodies officially do.