Iran foreign minister arrives in New York for UN General Assembly

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in New York ahead of President Masoud Pezeshkian's expected arrival on Tuesday for the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations, Iranian state media reported.

Pezeshkian will be the highest-ranking Tehran official to enter the United States since the Middle East war began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran in February.

Iranian state media said that Pezeshkian departed for New York early Tuesday to attend the event and "present the positions of the Islamic Republic of Iran."

Araghchi spoke by phone with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres after his arrival on Monday and exchanged views on the agenda of the UN General Assembly, Iranian state television reported.

"Our most important objective is to use a major international platform to defend the legitimacy, rights, and interests of the Iranian people," Araghchi was quoted as telling Iranian journalists.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Aragchi "will hold talks and consultations with numerous officials and foreign ministers attending the session."

State media had previously reported that the Iranian delegation would be led by Pezeshkian. Baqaei described Aragchi as the "head of a diplomatic delegation" in a post on X after his arrival.

While the US has authorized an Iranian delegation to travel for the UN gathering, it has, like last year, put restrictions in place.

Iran's delegation will not, for instance, be allowed to purchase luxury goods or other items during their stay in New York City, the State Department said Thursday.

Iranian state media said that the US had refused to issue visas to members of the delegation, including the communications team.

Araghchi left Iran on Sunday evening and had a stopover in Qatar.

Iran says it has conveyed to the US, via Qatar as mediator, conditions for reopening the strategic Strait of Hormuz oil and gas shipping route, which it has effectively choked off since the start of the Middle East war.

The United States, in turn, is imposing a counterblockade of Iranian ports.