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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in New York Tuesday. He is scheduled to address the U.N. as Iran seeks diplomacy.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in New York on Tuesday to attend the 81st United Nations General Assembly, becoming the highest-ranking Iranian official to enter the United States since the conflict with Washington began. His visit comes as diplomatic contacts between Iran and the United States intensified on the sidelines of the gathering, even as both governments continued to issue warnings over the war.
Pezeshkian is scheduled to address the 193-member General Assembly on Wednesday. Iranian officials have said he will present Tehran’s position on the conflict and seek support for diplomacy, while Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is accompanying the president and has already taken part in discussions with international officials in New York.
The visit comes after Trump used his own General Assembly address Tuesday to defend U.S. military action against Iran while warning that Washington could take further action if an agreement is not reached. Later Tuesday, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held lengthy discussions involving Iranian representatives through intermediaries, according to Reuters.
Iran has also presented a proposal involving the Strait of Hormuz, according to Reuters and other reporting. A senior Iranian official said Tehran could reopen the strategic waterway to Gulf shipping within seven days if Washington eased military pressure and lifted its blockade of Iranian ports. The proposal has not produced an agreement, and reporting indicates substantial differences remain between the two sides.
Pezeshkian’s arrival places the Iranian president at the center of one of the most consequential diplomatic issues at this year’s General Assembly. A direct meeting between Pezeshkian and Trump had not been announced, while Iranian officials indicated that their delegation had authority to pursue diplomacy. Pezeshkian is expected to meet with foreign leaders and other groups during his New York visit in addition to his address to the Assembly.
The Iranian president’s appearance also comes amid restrictions placed on Iran’s U.N. delegation by the United States, which as host country controls access and movement outside the United Nations area. Pezeshkian’s speech Wednesday is expected to provide Tehran with a high-profile opportunity to outline its position on the conflict before an international audience.
Sources: Information attributed to The New York Times, Al Jazeera, Reuters, Iran International and Anadolu Agency, with additional verification from other reporting cited above.