UN General Assembly Opens in New York as US, Iran Presidents Set to Share Stage

The 81st UN General Assembly general debate opens Sept. 22 in New York, drawing roughly 130 heads of state and government, with about 118 confirmed for the debate and high-level week. Iran's president, Masoud Pezeshkian, is slated to speak Sept. 23 after receiving a US visa, his first appearance at the multilateral body since hostilities with the US erupted nearly seven months ago. Brazil's Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva speaks first by tradition, followed by US President Donald Trump, whose address is expected to focus on Iran and peace deals. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, denied a visa, will address by video Sept. 24 under a Sept. 17 resolution passed 152-3 with 4 abstentions. Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy speak Sept. 23; Russia's Sergei Lavrov is set for Sept. 26. The UN Security Council holds a high-level AI and security session Sept. 23, as the agenda narrows to geopolitics and AI governance.