US says it will allow Iranian president to attend UN General Assembly

The United States will allow top Iranian officials to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week, the US State Department said on Thursday, even as Washington and ​Tehran remain at war and continue intermittent talks aimed at ending the conflict.

The decision was "consistent with our host country obligations," the department was quoted as saying, adding the delegation is smaller than last year and will be "under travel restrictions." The 81st session of the UN General Assembly High-Level Week will start on September 22 at the UN Headquarters in New York City.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is scheduled to address the General Assembly on September 23.

The United States on Wednesday extended visa restrictions on Palestinian officials, including Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, preventing him from attending the UN General Assembly high-level week in person for the second consecutive year. (With input from Xinhua)