WorldPosted at: Sep 18 2026 8:34AM


Trump approves visas for Iran President, FM Araghchi for UN meet amid unresolved tensions

Washington, Sept 18 (UNI) President Donald Trump’s administration has approved visas for Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to attend next week’s UN General Assembly high-level meeting in New York.
The move comes more than six months after the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran on February 28, triggering a war between the two sides. While large-scale fighting has since halted, a lasting settlement remains elusive, with the Strait of Hormuz continuing to be a major flashpoint and key issues under the US-Iran memorandum of understanding still unresolved.
The US and Iran remain sharply at odds over the nuclear issue, sanctions and the future of the Strait of Hormuz, even after the June MoU was intended to pave the way for a broader agreement. The understanding included provisions for ending military operations and reopening the Strait, but subsequent disagreements and renewed hostilities prevented a durable settlement.
The State Department said on Thursday that it had approved visas for Iran’s “core delegation,” along with essential staff members to participate in the UN meetings. US officials confirmed that Pezeshkian and Araghchi are part of the delegation, speaking on condition of anonymity because of visa privacy laws.
There is no clear indication that an agreement on reopening the Strait of Hormuz or resuming substantive negotiations on Iran’s nuclear programme is close.
The Strait has remained one of the central points of contention since the February 28 war. Iran had effectively restricted traffic through the strategic waterway during the conflict, while the United States imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports. The June MoU envisaged the resumption of commercial traffic, but disagreements over shipping routes, control and maritime arrangements contributed to the collapse of the understanding.
The US decision to allow the Iranian leaders to attend the UN meeting is notable given the continuing confrontation between the two countries.
“Consistent with our host country obligations, the core delegation from the Iranian regime will be able to attend UN General Assembly High Level Week,” the State Department said.
“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.”
The visas have been approved under US obligations as the host country of the United Nations, although Washington has previously denied or restricted visas for foreign officials involved in conflicts with the United States.
The State Department also imposed strict restrictions on the Iranian delegation's movements in New York, similar to measures imposed on Iranian diplomats attending last year's UN meetings.
The decision was announced a day after Washington denied visas to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his delegation to attend the General Assembly.
Iran meanwhile remains under extensive US sanctions, while Washington has in recent weeks stepped up efforts to cut what it describes as Tehran's “critical financial lifelines”.
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Tags: #Trump approves visas for Iran President# FM Araghchi for UN meet amid unresolved tensions
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