Pezeshkian departs Tehran for UN General Assembly amid ongoing war

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian left for New York to attend the 81st UN General Assembly, saying he will raise 'the grievances of the Iranian people, the crimes that have taken place, and the mistrust created' following the US-Israel military campaign against Iran, and vowing to 'firmly defend' the country's positions.

Why this matters. Pezeshkian's scheduled UNGA address on September 23 is the first major Iranian head-of-state platform since the war began in February, and his remarks will be watched for any shift toward or away from ceasefire diplomacy.