The United States refuses to issue visas to some members of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s delegation, including people on his communications team, for a trip this week to the UN General Assembly, Iranian state media reports. Iran’s outlets say the refusal affects parts of the delegation that are expected to travel to New York.
Iranian state news agency IRNA, echoed by Mehr, describes the move as unprecedented and points to Pezeshkian as the highest-ranking Iranian official set to enter the United States since February. Multiple reports add that while the U.S. authorizes the Iranian delegation to travel to the UN General Assembly, it also applies restrictions similar to last year, including limits such as not being allowed to purchase luxury goods. The outlets also note that Pezeshkian is expected to address the General Assembly on Wednesday.
Some reporting frames the visa decision as part of broader tensions linked to the Middle East war and related maritime and trade measures. Iran says it has communicated conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz via Qatar, while the United States is described as imposing a counterblockade of Iranian ports.