Story perspectives

U.S. Denies Abbas Visa, Extending Sanctions for UN Visit

By Drooid · Sep 20, 2026, 10:26 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

World leaders will gather for the UN General Assembly high-level week in Manhattan Sept. 20-26, 2026.
The NYPD will deploy thousands of officers, bomb squads, K-9 units and a counter-drone unit around the UN.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will receive visas but cannot buy luxury goods.
The U.S. will deny a visa to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, extending sanctions that block his attendance.

History

Historical Context

After the 1979 Iranian Revolution toppled Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and brought Ayatollah Khomeini to power, the United States imposed an embargo and cut diplomatic ties, a rupture highlighted by the 444-day hostage crisis that ended in January 1981. Those historic tensions shape today’s heightened NYPD security at the UN General Assembly and the U.S. denial of a visa to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

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Story summary

World leaders will gather for the UN General Assembly high-level week in Manhattan Sept. 20-26, 2026.
The NYPD will deploy thousands of officers, bomb squads, K-9 units and a counter-drone unit around the UN.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will receive visas but cannot buy luxury goods.
The U.S. will deny a visa to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, extending sanctions that block his attendance.

1 / 2