Iranian President Mesud Pezeşkiyan is expected to travel to New York for the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. On September 23, Pezeşkiyan is scheduled to outline Iran’s position on the war that began with the US and Israeli attack on Iran on February 28 and meet with some leaders. He will be accompanied by a senior Iranian delegation.
The UN’s high-level week will take place on September 22-29, with the general debate scheduled for September 22-26 and September 28. The US granted visas to Pezeşkiyan, Foreign Minister Abbas Arakçi and other senior delegation members. The decision was explained by the US responsibility to host the UN. The delegation, which is expected to be smaller, will face restrictions on travel and the procurement of goods and services.
The theme of the session is “Rebuilding Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations that Delivers for Everyone.” The agenda includes the Russia-Ukraine War, the Israel-Palestine conflict, the war in Sudan and the governance of artificial intelligence.
Why it matters
The visit will enable Iran to directly raise its position on the war during the UN General Assembly’s high-level general debate and establish diplomatic contacts with leaders in the same setting. Iran’s message will thus be assessed within a broader international agenda that also includes issues such as the Russia-Ukraine War and the Israel-Palestine conflict, as well as the war in Sudan and the governance of artificial intelligence. While the US visa decision highlights the distinction between its responsibility to host the UN and its stance toward Iran, the restrictions imposed on the delegation’s travel and procurement of goods and services are narrowing the scope of this participation. The open question is the extent to which these restrictions will affect Pezeşkiyan’s planned meetings and the Iranian delegation’s diplomatic room for maneuver.
Background
Iran is not a new name in the FikirPilot archive: over the past 90 days, we have published 37 news reports mentioning this name; the latest is dated September 26, 2026.