The United States has denied visas to some members of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s delegation, including members of his communications team, ahead of this week’s United Nations General Assembly in New York, according to Iranian state media.
Pezeshkian himself has been cleared to attend the gathering and is expected to address the UN General Assembly on Wednesday. Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency criticised the visa denials, describing the decision as a hostile action by the US government.
“In an unprecedented hostile move by the US government, [US President Donald] Trump has denied US visas to certain members of the president’s high-level delegation, including members of his communications team,” IRNA reported. The Mehr news agency also reported the visa denials, citing a spokesperson for the Iranian presidency.
The US State Department had earlier confirmed that Iran’s core delegation would be permitted to attend the UN General Assembly, although its members would face restrictions while in the country. The delegation is smaller than last year’s and will be subject to travel restrictions as well as limits on the purchase of luxury goods and certain other items.
Pezeshkian is expected to be the highest-ranking Iranian official to enter the United States since the conflict involving Iran, Israel and the US began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran in February. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who is also part of the delegation, left Iran on Sunday evening for a stopover in Qatar before travelling to New York.
The UN gathering comes amid continuing tensions between Washington and Tehran and efforts to address restrictions affecting the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically important route for global oil and gas shipments. Iran says it has communicated through Qatar, which has acted as a mediator, its conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz after restricting shipping through the route since the conflict began.
The United States has meanwhile imposed restrictions on Iranian ports as part of its response to Tehran’s actions. Despite the restrictions on some members of Pezeshkian’s delegation, the Iranian president and other senior officials are expected to participate in the UN meetings in New York.