US issues visas for Iran’s Rouhani, Zarif to travel to UN meeting

The United States has issued visas allowing Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to travel to New York for the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations next week, Iran’s UN mission said on Thursday.

Zarif is to leave for New York on Friday to attend the UN General Assembly, the foreign ministry spokesman tweeted on Thursday, after earlier reports of a US delay in issuing a visa for the visit.

“Foreign Minister @JZarif is leaving for New York early on Friday morning to attend the 74th session of the UNGA,”spokesman Abbas Mousavi tweeted.

Zarif said earlier on Thursday that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was trying to delay issuing visas for the Iranian delegation to the upcoming United Nations General Assembly.

Iranian UN mission spokesman Alireza Miryousefi confirmed to Reuters that the US visas had been issued.