Tehran, Sep 20 (IANS) Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said that participation in the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York is Iran's "legal right."

"Being present in New York holds absolutely no appeal for Iran's representatives. However, it is a stronghold that must not be abandoned. Iran's participation in the UNGA's session is a legal right, not a favor to be granted to us by someone. Iran is one of the UN's 50 founding members," Baghaei said in an interview with state-run IRIB TV.

"It is our duty as the Iranian nation's representatives to attend this major international event to make the world hear the Iranian people's rightfulness," he said, accusing "the other side" of employing every available tool to prevent the Iranian delegation's participation, Xinhua news agency reported.

Such "obstructionism and negative propaganda" will never make Iran back down from its legitimate right to participate in the session and articulate its positions, he said.

The United States said it would issue visas to Iran's "core delegation" for the UNGA "consistent with our host country obligations," according to a statement by the US State Department on Thursday.

"The delegation is smaller than last year," the statement said.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump will put Iran’s nuclear ambitions at the centre of his United Nations diplomacy next week, with talks planned with Gulf leaders and US officials warning of further consequences for entities doing business with Tehran.

Trump will address the UN General Assembly on Tuesday before meeting Gulf Cooperation Council leaders in New York. Officials said Iran would be a major subject of discussion, but did not confirm whether the president or other US representatives would meet Iranian officials.

US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz said Trump’s speech would stress the importance of ensuring Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon. He said that demand had also been reflected in repeated UN Security Council resolutions.

The speech would cover diplomatic agreements and unresolved conflicts, alongside progress on Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan, Waltz told reporters here.

Asked about possible US-Iran meetings, the official declined to get ahead of the president’s or secretary of state’s final schedule.

--IANS

rs/