Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi headed to the UN General Assembly on Monday. According to Iranian pro-regime media the president left via Mehrabad International Airport in Tehran on Sunday evening.
“One of the pillars of the policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran is interaction with the countries of the world and regional and international organizations,” he said, according to Iran’s Tasnim News.
Iran is seeking to put out messaging about its role in “development, peace, justice and global security.” Iran cares about the UN and wants to use the organization for its own ends. In the past, it has prevented most critique at the UN despite Iran’s track record of human rights abuses.
UNGA comes as Iran wrestles with renewed protests, Israel tensions
The Iranian leader will land in New York a year after Iran was rocked by protests over the killing of Mahsa Jina Amini, a Kurdish-Iranian woman who was killed by Iranian police.
The trip comes amid Israel-Iran tensions and as Iran is set to receive a $6 billion payout for a hostage exchange. Iran has agreed to release several detainees in exchange for the billions it claims are held overseas. The money will be transferred via Qatar.
Rich Goldberg, Senior Advisor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies noted on social media that “the sanctioned president of Iran is flying on a sanctioned aircraft on a Biden-approved visa to enter the US where he is actively plotting terror attacks on US citizens. $6 billion will arrive in his bank accounts by the time he lands. And Biden will declare mission accomplished.”
The sanctioned president of Iran is flying on a sanctioned aircraft on a Biden-approved visa to enter the US where he is actively plotting terror attacks on US citizens. $6 billion will arrive in his bank accounts by the time he lands. And Biden will declare mission accomplished. https://t.co/n7j53H0X35
— Richard Goldberg (@rich_goldberg) September 18, 2023
Iran has worked to crack down on dissidents and home and abroad in the last months to prevent protests.
Iran wants to use the UN to showcase its role in the global south and to confront “big powers” which it claims should not unduly influence the UN, according to the Iranian reports.
“Iran's view of the world is the view of a world free from poverty, free from weapons of mass destruction and free from discrimination, and our view will be to prevent natural disasters and what is created by big powers,” the Iranian leader said.
Iran wants to strengthen ties with other countries
Raisi went on to say, “I will speak the language of the people to explain the facts to governments and nations." Iran wants to strengthen ties with other countries.
It has been on a diplomatic offensive lately, particularly with China, Russia and Saudi Arabia. According to Tasnim, the Iranian leader will deliver a speech at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday and will hold meetings with heads of state and resident Iranians in the US. He may also host other meetings.
Raisi is flying on an Airbus A340 according to reports. It is reported to be operated by Meraj Air. A search of sanctions related to Meraj Air shows that a different A300 is subject to secondary sanctions from 1995.
It is not clear if the A340 is also a subject of sanctions. A report at the Washington Institute noted in 2018 that “sanctioned firms included Mahan Air, Caspian Airlines, Meraj Air, Dena Airways, Pouya Air, and Blue Airways. The latter is just a front company with no fleet. Meraj, Caspian, and Pouya (formerly Yas Air) were all designated in August 2014 for supporting Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps operations in Syria.”