The Trump administration has granted visas to senior Iranian officials, including President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, allowing them to attend next week’s United Nations General Assembly in New York. This decision comes despite the ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Iran, which have persisted for over six months. The U.S. State Department confirmed that visas were issued for Iran’s “core delegation,” along with essential staff, to participate in the U.N. meetings. However, the delegation will be subject to travel restrictions and will not be allowed to purchase luxury items or other restricted goods, as per U.S. policy. The group is also smaller than the one that attended last year’s U.N. meetings. This move is notable given the lack of recent progress in resolving the U.S.-Iran conflict, particularly regarding the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz or resuming talks on Iran’s nuclear program. At the same time, Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have intensified attacks on Saudi infrastructure and shipping in the Red Sea, contributing to a rise in global oil prices. Iran continues to be designated by the U.S. as the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, with extensive sanctions and a recent campaign targeting its financial systems. As the host of the U.N. headquarters, the U.S. has limited ability to stop foreign leaders from attending the General Assembly. However, it has historically denied visas or discouraged applications from leaders actively involved in conflicts with the U.S. Last year, before the current conflict with Iran began, the State Department approved visas for a limited number of Iranian diplomats but imposed strict movement restrictions, such as limiting how far officials could travel in New York City and banning them from shopping at stores like Costco and Sam's Club. The decision to grant visas to the Iranian delegation came a day after the U.S. denied visas to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his team. The U.S. accused the Palestinian Authority of trying to “internationalize” the Israel-Hamas war by bringing cases to international courts and continuing to pay prisoners jailed in Israel for attacks on Israelis. The Palestinian Authority criticized the move, calling Israel’s actions the real threat to peace and the two-state solution. They emphasized their commitment to stalled negotiations but defended their efforts to gain international recognition through U.N. bodies and courts. They also argued that punitive measures against Palestinian officials hinder peace efforts and weaken their commitment to a political solution.