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The official noted that this year’s delegation would be smaller than last year’s, and would face travel restrictions along with a ban on purchasing luxury goods and other items.
President of Iran Masoud Pezeshkian addresses the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly. (AP file photo)
The United States will allow an Iranian delegation to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week, the State Department confirmed on Thursday, despite an ongoing war between the two countries that has now stretched into its seventh month.
A source familiar with the matter told AFP that the delegation would include Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
“Consistent with our host country obligations, the core delegation from the Iranian regime will be able to attend UN General Assembly High Level Week,” a State Department spokesperson said.
However, the official noted that this year’s delegation would be smaller than last year’s, and would face travel restrictions along with a ban on purchasing luxury goods and other items, in line with existing US policy.
Conflict Shows No Signs Of Easing
The decision to permit Iranian attendance comes against the backdrop of a bruising conflict that began in late February, when US and Israeli strikes targeted Iran, triggering fighting that has since spread across the wider Middle East. In response, Tehran imposed a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial channel for global energy shipments, which sent oil prices sharply higher worldwide.
Hostilities between Washington and Tehran have flared up again in recent weeks. Meanwhile, shipping remains heavily restricted through both the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandab Strait near Yemen, where Houthi rebels have taken control of key territory.
Contrast With Abbas Visa Denial
The move to admit Iran’s delegation stands in stark contrast to Washington’s treatment of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who has once again been denied an entry visa for the General Assembly, a source confirmed on Wednesday — the second consecutive year the US has taken this step.
Last year’s denial, under President Donald Trump’s administration, forced Abbas, typically a fixture at the annual gathering, to address world leaders via video link instead.
Without naming Abbas directly, the State Department said it would refuse visas to officials from the Palestine Liberation Organisation and the Palestinian Authority, citing “their failure to reform, contrary to their commitments to the United States, and their ongoing activities that undermine the prospects for peace.”
(With inputs from agencies)
Quick Answers
Ask News18Yes, the United States will allow an Iranian delegation, which includes President Masoud Pezeshkian, to attend the UN General Assembly High Level Week. This decision is consistent with the United States’ host country obligations, despite an ongoing war between the two nations that has entered its seventh month.
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