US denies visas to members of Iran's team ahead of UN General Assembly

• US denies visas to some members of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s delegation.

• Pezeshkian is due to address the UN General Assembly on Wednesday.

• Washington has allowed the delegation to travel but imposed restrictions on its activities.

The United States has refused visas to some members of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s delegation, including members of his communications team, ahead of his visit to New York for the United Nations General Assembly, Iranian state media reported on Monday.

State news agency IRNA described the decision as an “unprecedented hostile move” by the US government, saying President Donald Trump had denied visas to some members of Pezeshkian’s high-level delegation. The Mehr news agency separately reported the decision, citing a spokesperson for the Iranian presidency.

Pezeshkian is scheduled to address the UN General Assembly on Wednesday. He is expected to be the highest-ranking Iranian official to enter the US since the conflict involving Iran began with US-Israeli strikes in February.

The US has nevertheless authorised the Iranian delegation to travel to New York for the UNGA. Washington has imposed restrictions on the delegation, including limits on its activities and movement.

The State Department has also said Iranian delegates will not be allowed to purchase luxury goods and certain other items during their stay.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is part of the delegation. He left Iran on Sunday evening and travelled to Qatar for a stopover before continuing towards the UN meeting.

The visa decision comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran following the conflict and a wider dispute over the Strait of Hormuz. Iran says it has conveyed conditions through Qatar for reopening the strategic oil and gas shipping route, while the US has imposed a counter-blockade on Iranian ports, according to Iranian officials.

The high-level UN General Assembly debate is scheduled to run from 22 to 28 September, with leaders and senior representatives of the UN’s 193 member states expected to attend.