Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian left Tehran on Tuesday to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York, vowing to “firmly defend” the country’s positions on the world stage.
In footage broadcast by state television, Pezeshkian said, “We emerged with our heads held high, and this is a source of dignity and pride for all of us. Therefore, we will firmly defend our positions in international forums.”
The president is scheduled to speak at the UN meeting on Wednesday. “We will make the best possible use of this opportunity to convey Iran’s plight to the international community. We will firmly tell our adversaries that, despite all the unfairness and injustices, the Iranian people have stood their ground,” he added.
Pezeshkian will be the highest‑ranking Iranian official to set foot on American soil since the Middle East war began in late February with U.S.–Israeli strikes on Iran. The United States has approved the visit for part of the delegation but will impose movement restrictions, the State Department said. The president’s communications team was denied visas, a move described as “hostile” by spokesman Habibollah Abbassi.
The conflict over the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz remains central to tensions between Tehran and Washington. Traffic through the corridor, through which one‑fifth of the world’s hydrocarbons once passed, has been severely disrupted as Iran has fired on commercial ships and demanded approval for passage. In response, the United States is maintaining a counter‑blockade of Iranian ports and increasing economic pressure on Iran.
<small>Source: Vanguard News — read the original story there.</small>
