Iran accused the United States on Wednesday of using new restrictions on its delegation to the United Nations as a tool of political pressure, after Washington limited Iranian diplomats’ movements in New York and denied visas to much of President Masoud Pezeshkian’s media team.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said the curbs, which include restrictions on daily activities such as grocery shopping, were aimed at “disrupting Iran's diplomatic performance” during the UN General Assembly.
He described them as “a blatant violation” of US obligations under the 1947 UN Headquarters Agreement.
“The systematic harassment of Iranian diplomats has obstructed delegates from attending several multilateral events outside the so-called ‘permitted parameters’ this week alone,” Baghaei wrote on social media, calling the measures “a new low” in US hostility toward Iranians.
The US State Department said Monday that the restrictions were intended to prevent Iran’s delegation from “lavish shopping” in New York while ordinary Iranians face economic hardship, and to limit Tehran’s ability to “promote its terrorist agenda.”
It confined delegates to the area between UN headquarters and their hotel, with transit allowances for official meetings.
Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency reported separately that most of Pezeshkian’s media staff were denied visas, leaving only two aides -- his press chief and deputy -- to cover what it called a large number of events during the trip.
It noted that under the new rules, even the purchase of fountain pens is classified as a “luxury” requiring special permits.
The dispute comes as Pezeshkian prepare to address the 80th UNGA amid heightened tensions over Iran’s nuclear program, the looming reimposition of UN “snapback” sanctions later this month, and the fallout from a 12-day war with Israel in June.
