US grants restricted UN visas to Iranian president and foreign minister despite ongoing war

Diplomatic access under wartime conditions

The US Department of State announced on Thursday, 17 September 2026, that it will permit a core delegation of Iranian officials to enter New York for the United Nations General Assembly high-level sessions scheduled for next week. According to US officials speaking on condition of anonymity due to visa privacy regulations, entry visas were issued for Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and essential support personnel. The decision follows legal obligations governing the United States as the host country for the United Nations headquarters. The State Department confirmed that the approved group is smaller than the delegation that attended the previous year's assembly. A spokesperson for the department confirmed the diplomatic authorization.

Consistent with our host country obligations, the core delegation from the Iranian regime will be able to attend UN General Assembly High Level week.

Strict travel and purchasing limitations

Iranian officials visiting New York City will encounter severe restrictions on their physical movements and commercial activities throughout their stay. The State Department confirmed that visiting diplomats face strict prohibitions on purchasing luxury goods and other commercial items under established administrative policies. Similar protocols applied during prior United Nations gatherings tightly regulated how far Iranian diplomats could travel away from their mission in Manhattan. Those past measures explicitly barred Iranian personnel from shopping at wholesale membership clubs, such as Costco and Sam's Club. Washington maintains Iran's formal designation as a state sponsor of terrorism, enforcing extensive economic sanctions and recent initiatives designed to sever the country's financial lifelines.

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.

Conflict timeline and regional standoff

The visa approvals arrive as the military conflict between the United States and Iran enters its seventh month following the outbreak of war on 28 February 2026. Bilateral hostilities had escalated after joint US and Israeli air strikes struck Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025. The current confrontation remains at a military stalemate lasting over six months, with no immediate indications of diplomatic progress toward reopening the Strait of Hormuz or resuming talks over Iran's nuclear program. Concurrently, Iranian-backed Houthi forces in Yemen have heightened strikes against Saudi infrastructure and commercial shipping in the Red Sea. These disruptions along critical maritime routes have compounded logistical delays and driven up global crude oil prices.

Host nation obligations and diplomatic contrast

Under the foundational treaty governing the United Nations headquarters in New York, the host nation faces strict legal limits on blocking foreign leaders from attending official General Assembly proceedings. Washington has nevertheless denied visa applications or discouraged attendance in specific historical instances involving foreign leaders engaged in active military conflicts with US forces. The approval for the Iranian leadership stands in contrast to decisions taken just one day prior regarding other Middle Eastern delegations. On Wednesday, 16 September 2026, the State Department denied entry visas to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his delegation. President Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Araghchi are scheduled to participate in high-level sessions alongside world leaders next week.