Pull to refresh
Logo
What Changed
Following Why Sign Up
US allows Iranian delegation to attend UN General Assembly amid ongoing war

US allows Iranian delegation to attend UN General Assembly amid ongoing war

Force in Play

Qatar says talks continue; Pakistan's army chief brings compromise to Tehran as Iran ties Hormuz reopening to sanctions relief

October 20th, 2026: Qatar says US-Iran negotiations are ongoing

Overview

Updated Oct 20

Iran's president and foreign minister attended the UN General Assembly in late September, and the visit led to indirect US-Iran talks through Qatar about reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Iran offered to reopen the waterway within seven days if Washington lifts its naval blockade, eases oil sanctions, releases frozen assets and ends hostilities on all fronts. President Donald Trump rejected that offer, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered Iran's delegation to leave New York early; Tehran denied being ordered out.

Talks have continued despite the rejection. On October 20, Qatar's Foreign Ministry said negotiations were ongoing. The same day, Pakistan's army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, arrived in Tehran with a Qatar-Pakistan compromise, Qatari outlet Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reported. Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said there would be no return to talks until Washington halts its pressure campaign, and oil approached $110 a barrel.

Why it matters

The talks test whether Washington and Tehran can reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end a war that has kept oil near $110.

Questions about this story

Free account needed to ask — your question is kept and asked for you right after sign-up. Answers are public.

No questions yet — be the first to ask.

Key Indicators

Nearly 8 months
Duration of US-Iran war
War began February 28, 2026, with US-Israel joint attacks on Iran.
20%
Share of world oil that flowed through Strait of Hormuz before the war
Iran's closure of the strait has driven oil prices above $100 a barrel.
~$110
Oil price per barrel
Crude approached $110 a barrel as Pakistan's army chief flew to Tehran, Iran's Fars news agency reported.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

Sign up to generate historical perspectives on this story.

Log in Sign Up

People Involved

Masoud Pezeshkian
Masoud Pezeshkian
President of Iran
Met Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir on October 20; said no talks until US lifts pressure, threats and sanctions
 Abbas Araghchi
Abbas Araghchi
Foreign Minister of Iran
Said October 18 that Iran's Hormuz conditions remain unchanged and its seven-day proposal is still on the table
 Donald Trump
Donald Trump
President of the United States
Rejected Iran's Hormuz offer; Qatar says he has repeated warnings of renewed strikes next month
 Tommy Pigott
Tommy Pigott
State Department spokesperson
Announced visa decision and restrictions
 Marco Rubio
Marco Rubio
Secretary of State
Ordered Iranian delegation to leave New York early
 Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir
Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir
Pakistan's army chief
In Tehran on October 20 to convey a Qatar-Pakistan compromise proposal
MA
Majed al-Ansari
Spokesman for Qatar's Foreign Ministry
Said October 20 that US-Iran negotiations are ongoing

Organizations Involved

U.S. Department of State
U.S. Department of State
Federal agency
Granted visas to Iran's delegation; Rubio later ordered them to leave early

US federal agency responsible for foreign affairs and visa decisions.
United Nations
United Nations
International body
81st session General Debate concluded; indirect talks continue

International body whose General Assembly convenes world leaders each September in New York.
QM
Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Government ministry
Says US-Iran negotiations are ongoing as of October 20

Qatar's foreign ministry, which has mediated between Washington and Tehran during the war.

Timeline

June 2025 October 2026

13 events Latest: October 20th, 2026 · 2 weeks ago Showing 8 of 13
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Qatar says US-Iran negotiations are ongoing

    Latest Diplomatic

    Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari told the Global Security Forum in Doha that negotiations were ongoing and the parties were engaging. He spoke despite President Trump's repeated warnings that the US could resume major strikes next month.

  2. Pakistan's army chief arrives in Tehran with compromise proposal

    Diplomatic

    Field Marshal Asim Munir arrived in Tehran at the head of a Pakistani delegation. Qatari outlet Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reported that he conveyed a Qatar-Pakistan compromise under which Iran would receive interest from $6 billion in frozen funds and allow an undisclosed IAEA visit.

  3. Pezeshkian says no talks until US lifts pressure

    Diplomatic

    President Masoud Pezeshkian told Pakistan's Field Marshal Asim Munir that Washington must lift its pressures, threats and sanctions before any negotiations, according to an Iranian government readout. He said US warmongering was behind regional tensions, including disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.

  4. Iran says Hormuz reopening conditions unchanged

    Diplomatic

    Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran was still reviewing US comments on its seven-day ceasefire proposal. He said the strait would reopen on the sixth day if Washington met Tehran's conditions.

  5. Iran reviewing US response to seven-day proposal

    Diplomatic

    Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi says Iran is reviewing US comments on the seven-day proposal and will communicate its final position through the appropriate channel.

  6. Rubio orders Iranian delegation to leave New York

    Diplomatic

    Secretary of State Marco Rubio orders the Iranian delegation to leave New York early after little progress in talks. Araghchi departs early Tuesday; Iran denies being ordered out.

  7. Araghchi receives US response via Qatar in Doha

    Diplomatic

    Araghchi receives the US response to Iran's seven-day Strait of Hormuz proposal through Qatari mediators in Doha, on his way back from New York.

  8. Pezeshkian addresses UN General Assembly

    Diplomatic

    Iran's president addresses the General Assembly, the first time an Iranian president has done so during an active US-Iran war.

  9. Trump addresses UN General Assembly

    Diplomatic

    Trump tells the General Assembly the US is 'hopefully toward the end' of the war with Iran.

  10. US grants visas to Iranian delegation for UNGA

    Diplomatic

    State Department approves visas for Pezeshkian and Araghchi with travel and shopping restrictions; delegation smaller than last year.

  11. Pakistan-brokered truce memorandum collapses

    Diplomatic

    Both sides accuse each other of violating the agreement; talks stall and the war continues.

  12. US and Israel launch joint attacks on Iran

    Military

    The war begins. Iran later closes the Strait of Hormuz, pushing global oil prices past $100 a barrel.

  13. US and Israel strike Iranian nuclear facilities

    Military

    Preliminary air strikes on Iranian nuclear sites precede the full war by eight months.

Scenarios

1

US and Iran announce resumed talks after UNGA

Possible Resolves by End of 2026

Discussed by: Al Jazeera reports Trump's claim of direct talks; Pakistan has led prior mediation

Trump's stated direct contact with Tehran, combined with the UNGA presence, could produce a new negotiation track. Pakistan's army chief has brokered contacts before, and Pezeshkian said Tehran would return to the collapsed memorandum if Washington did. The General Assembly week is the natural venue for such an announcement.

2

UNGA visit ends without breakthrough, war grinds on

Likely Resolves by End of 2026

Discussed by: State Department framed visas as host-country obligation, not a diplomatic opening

The delegation attends, Pezeshkian addresses the assembly, but no deals emerge. The smaller delegation and heavy restrictions signal Washington is not warming to Tehran. The Strait of Hormuz stays closed, oil stays above $100, and the war continues toward its first anniversary.

3

Conflict widens beyond current fronts after UNGA

Possible Resolves by End of 2026

Discussed by: Iranian-backed Houthis have attacked Saudi infrastructure; fighting has spread to Yemen

The UNGA week produces no progress, and the war expands geographically. Houthi strikes on Saudi oil installations and Red Sea shipping intensify, potentially drawing Gulf states deeper into the conflict. Global oil supply faces a bigger threat as the Strait of Hormuz stays closed.

4

US and Iran reach a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz

Possible Resolves by Nov 15, 2026

Discussed by: Qatari mediators shuttling between Washington and Tehran

Iran's seven-day proposal and the US counter-response could produce an agreement to reopen the strait. The US response outlines a seven-day trust-building period aimed at returning to an enhanced version of the June memorandum of understanding. The main disagreement is sequencing: Iran wants sanctions relief and asset release before nuclear talks; the US wants the reverse.

Historical Context

3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

July 1951 - July 1953

Korean War armistice negotiations (1951-1953)

After two years of brutal fighting, US and Chinese forces opened armistice talks at Kaesong in July 1951. The negotiations dragged on for two years while major battles continued, including the stalemate at Panmunjom, where the talks later moved.

Then

An armistice signed July 1953 ended active fighting, though no peace treaty was concluded.

Now

The Korean peninsula remains divided by a demilitarized zone, and the armistice framework still governs the conflict seven decades later.

Why this matters now

Shows that warring parties can negotiate for years while combat continues — the model for what a US-Iran dialogue might look like, though the Korean talks produced a durable truce that held.

May 1968 - January 1973

Paris Peace Accords (1968-1973)

US and North Vietnamese negotiators opened talks in Paris in 1968. The discussions ran five years, surviving the Tet Offensive, the Cambodia incursion, and the Christmas Bombing before yielding an agreement.

Then

The 1973 accords led to a US withdrawal and prisoner exchange.

Now

North Vietnam overran the South in 1975, rendering the accords moot within two years.

Why this matters now

Demonstrates that peace talks can proceed amid active warfare — but also that an agreement doesn't guarantee either side gets the outcome it wants.

November 2013 - July 2015

Iran nuclear deal negotiations (2013-2015)

After a decade of sanctions and standoffs, the US and Iran negotiated the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action through intermediaries and direct talks. Iran agreed to limit its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.

Then

The deal was signed in July 2015, with UN inspectors monitoring Iran's program.

Now

The US withdrew in 2018 under Trump; Iran later expanded enrichment, and the deal collapsed.

Why this matters now

The last major US-Iran diplomatic breakthrough shows both sides can engage despite decades of hostility — and also how fragile such agreements can be.

Sources

(20)
+14
BBC News NBC News Bloomberg The Washington Post Al Jazeera Associated Press via WSLS CNA New Indian Express Asharq Al-Awsat Al Arabiya Iran International The Candor Post Iran Press The National CBS News Reuters via Yahoo JINSA Al Jazeera Al Jazeera CBS News