NEW YORK, USA — The United States has denied visas to some members of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s delegation for this week’s 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, Iranian state media reported on Sunday.
The affected officials reportedly include members of Pezeshkian’s communications team.
Iran’s state news agency, IRNA, described the move as an “unprecedented hostile move” by the US government, alleging that President Donald Trump had denied visas to some members of the Iranian president’s high-level delegation.
The Mehr news agency also reported the development, citing a spokesperson for the Iranian presidency.
Pezeshkian is expected to address the UN General Assembly on Wednesday and would be the highest-ranking Iranian official to visit the United States since the Middle East war began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran in February, according to AFP.
The United States has nevertheless authorised the Iranian delegation to travel to New York for the General Assembly, although Washington is expected to impose restrictions similar to those placed on the delegation last year.
According to the US State Department, members of the Iranian delegation will, among other restrictions, be barred from purchasing luxury goods and certain other items while in the United States.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who is part of the delegation, left Iran on Sunday evening for Qatar, where he is expected to make a stopover before proceeding to the United States.
The development comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran over the ongoing conflict and the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Iran says it has conveyed, through Qatar as a mediator, conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial route for global oil and gas shipments that Tehran has restricted since the outbreak of the war.
The United States has, meanwhile, imposed a counter-blockade on Iranian ports.
