Approves visas for top Iranian leaders to attend UN high-level meeting even with sides at war

The Trump administration approved visas for Iran’s core delegation to attend next week’s U.N. General Assembly high-level meeting in New York, despite the absence of diplomatic progress amid an ongoing, stalemated war. The U.S. State Department said it approved visas for President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, along with essential staff, citing host-country obligations. The move is described as unusual given more than six months of conflict and no sign of near-term agreements tied to the Strait of Hormuz or Iran’s nuclear talks. It also comes as Iranian-backed Houthi attacks on Saudi infrastructure and Red Sea shipping intensify, pushing oil prices higher. The department said the delegation would face travel restrictions and prohibitions on purchasing luxury and other goods; it noted the delegation would be smaller than last year.