Iran’s Abbas Araghchi in New York for UN summit, first visit since West Asia war started - The Indian Express

Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in New York on Monday to participate in the United Nations General Assembly, his first visit to the United States since the start of the US-Iran war.

The visit comes at a time when tensions have soared in West Asia amid widening conflict over Houthis participation. US approved visas for the Iranian delegation on Thursday.

Araghchi, along with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, are expected to participate in the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Videos on social media showed the Iranian foreign minister, a prominent face of the Iranian leadership, stepping out of his vehicle in New York amid tight security. There were no immediate confirmation on the status of Pezeshkian’s scheduled visit.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is in New York for the UN General Assembly. pic.twitter.com/qR37nl0MEa

During the US visit, Iranian President Pezeshkian is scheduled to address the General Assembly on Wednesday. His delegation is also expected to hold meetings and consultations with leaders and senior officials from different countries on the sidelines of the UN session.

Araghchi arrived in US after a brief stop in Qatar, Iranian media reported. Upon arriving in New York, he spoke with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres over phone call and discussed the UNGA agenda and efforts to advance international peace and security, according to Tasnim news agency.

The Iranian delegation’s visit to US is unusual for a variety of reasons. The visit comes at a time when the tensions are at an all-time high in the ongoing six-month-long conflict between Iran and the United States, with no signs of abatement.

It also comes even as Iranian-backed Houthis have stepped up attacks on Saudi infrastructure and shipping in the Red Sea while the the Strait of Hormuz remains shut.

A third reason remains the hostilities between the two countries, with the US asserting that Iran remains the world’s “leading state sponsor of terrorism”, with economic sanctions and visa restrictions imposed on Tehran.

The US State Department had said it approved visas for Iran’s “core delegation,” which includes President Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Araghchi, along with essential staffers for the UN meetings, according to the Associated Press.

In last year’s UN meeting, the US had approved a limited number of visas for Iranian diplomats amid tight restrictions for the delegation’s movements.

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