Washington DC (US), September 18, 2026, BNN Web Staff: The United States has warned Iranian officials attending the upcoming United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) High-Level Week in New York against using their visit for luxury shopping, while confirming that visas have been issued to Iran’s core delegation.
US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the restrictions were intended to prevent Iranian officials from using the UNGA visit to purchase luxury goods.
In a post on X, Pigott said Iranian officials should not be allowed to use the New York visit for what he described as “shopping sprees”, while accusing Iran’s leadership of spending the country’s wealth amid economic hardships faced by ordinary Iranians.
The US State Department said the Iranian delegation would be subject to travel restrictions and would face prohibitions on purchasing luxury and certain other goods during its stay in the United States.
“Consistent with our host country obligations, the core delegation from the Iranian regime will be able to attend UN General Assembly High Level Week,” a State Department spokesperson said in an emailed statement, according to the Anadolu news agency.
The spokesperson added that this year’s delegation would be smaller than last year’s.
Iran’s delegation is reportedly expected to include President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
The United States, as the host country of the UN headquarters, has longstanding obligations to facilitate entry for delegations attending UN meetings.
The 81st UN General Assembly High-Level Week is scheduled to begin on Friday and continue through September 28.
The latest move comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran, including disagreements over the Strait of Hormuz. US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Iran wanted to reach an agreement with Washington but was not yet ready, ahead of his expected meetings with Gulf Cooperation Council leaders and foreign ministers in New York.
Separately, the US State Department has extended visa restrictions on members of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and officials of the Palestinian Authority (PA), citing what it described as failures to meet commitments under US legislation.
