Tabnak – After days of uncertainty over the visa issue, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is heading to New York to attend the annual gathering of the United Nations General Assembly. Rouhani is expected to present at the US Iran’s proposal for security in the region, which his US counterpart Donald Trump has expressed willingness to hear about.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani departed for New York on Monday to attend the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations.
Heading a high-ranking delegation, Rouhani left Tehran for New York on Monday morning after a see-off ceremony attended by First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri and Ali Akbar Velayati, an international adviser to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution.
The president is slated to deliver a speech at the 74th UN General Assembly meeting on Wednesday.
Earlier, the president’s deputy chief of staff for communications and information, Parviz Esmaeili, had said that during the visit, Rouhani would meet with the UN chief and several heads of state including those of France, Britain, Japan, Switzerland, Spain, Iraq, Sweden and Pakistan.
Meeting with senior managers of international media outlets and talks with foreign policy elites in the United States are also on the president’s agenda in New York.
The US’ delay in issuing visas for the Iranian delegation had put the trip to New York in doubt.
Meanwhile, Rouhani has unveiled a new initiative for security of the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, saying the “Coalition of Hope” scheme will be put forward in the forthcoming meeting of the United Nations General Assembly.
Addressing a Sunday military parade in Tehran, Rouhani said he will be attending the UN General Assembly in New York with the mottos “Coalition of Hope” and “Hormuz Peace Initiative”. The essence of those Iranian initiatives are “friendship and hope”, he added.
“This year, we will be putting forward a plan at the United Nations, according to which the Islamic Republic of Iran --in cooperation with the regional countries-- can ensure security in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman with the help of the region’s countries,” the president added.
He also reiterated that the presence of foreign forces in the region endangers international sea routes and security of shipping, oil and energy industries.
US President Donald Trump says although he has no plans to meet his Iranian counterpart, he is open to hearing his "Hormuz Peace Initiative" at the UN General Assembly in New York.
"I'm always open. I have no plans to meet with them, but I'm always open," Trump said Sunday in Houston, when asked if he was open to hearing Rouhani's plan.
Asked about a meeting with President Rouhani, Trump told reporters he would meet if Iranians wanted "but I have absolutely no plans to meet."
"We'll see what happens. Certainly the United Nations Week is going to be very interesting. I look forward to it," he added.
