President Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian are both heading to New York City this week for the UN General Assembly — Trump addresses the body Tuesday, Pezeshkian follows Wednesday — in what a former White House official called a “dramatic” face-to-face moment between two governments almost seven months into their war. The State Department, meanwhile, is keeping Tehran’s delegation on a tight leash for the trip.
Why it matters: It’s the closest the U.S. and Iranian governments have come to sharing a stage since fighting began, arriving as Tehran has set seven conditions for restarting negotiations with Washington. How visibly restricted Iran’s delegation appears — and how each leader uses the UN spotlight — could shape the diplomatic temperature heading into the fall.
Driving the news:
Trump addresses the UN General Assembly Tuesday; Pezeshkian delivers Iran’s address Wednesday.
The State Department is confining Iran’s delegation to its hotel and UN headquarters in Manhattan, barring members from shopping at retailers like Costco, Walmart and Sam’s Club, dining at restaurants, or sightseeing.
The 81st UN General Assembly’s high-level general debate runs Tuesday through Sept. 28, with nearly 130 heads of state and government expected, per the Washington Examiner.
By the numbers:
Almost 7 months: how long the active U.S.-Iran war has now run.
7: conditions Iran has set for restarting talks with Washington.
~130: heads of state and government expected at this year’s General Assembly.
What they’re saying: State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott defended the restrictions on Iran’s delegation: “While ordinary Iranians endure brutal repression, water and electricity shortages, and soaring inflation, the regime’s officials want to go on shopping sprees in New York. Not on our watch.” Theo Wold, a former acting assistant attorney general and White House domestic policy adviser, said the setup “will make for a fairly dramatic moment,” noting the delegation “will be restricted to their accommodation in New York City and the U.N. headquarters there in Manhattan.”
What’s next:
Trump addresses the General Assembly Tuesday.
Pezeshkian delivers Iran’s address Wednesday.
The General Assembly’s general debate continues through Sept. 28.
The bottom line: Two wartime adversaries will be working the same UN corridors this week for the first time since the conflict began — with Washington making sure Tehran’s delegation knows exactly how far its leash extends.
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