World leaders are gathering at the United Nations this week as wars and deepening geopolitical divisions dominate the agenda, with the conflicts in Iran, Gaza and Ukraine among the most pressing issues.
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United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks to delegates at the UN headquarters in New York City, U.S., April. Credit: Eduardo Munoz/REUTERS
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks to delegates at the UN headquarters in New York City, U.S., April. Credit: Eduardo Munoz/REUTERS
About 130 heads of state and government are expected to address the General Assembly, beginning Tuesday, with U.S. President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are scheduled on Wednesday. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is due to speak Thursday.
The gathering comes as the Middle East remains at the center of global diplomacy, with the U.S.-Iran war continuing to disrupt regional security, shipping and energy markets.
Washington approved visas for Pezeshkian and other senior Iranian officials despite the ongoing war, allowing Iran’s delegation to attend the meeting. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will address the assembly by video after the U.S. denied him a visa for the second consecutive year.
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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas appears on a screen as he addresses delegates during a high-level meeting of heads of state at the UN headquarters in New York City, U.S., 2025. Credit: Eduardo Munoz/REUTERS
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas appears on a screen as he addresses delegates during a high-level meeting of heads of state at the UN headquarters in New York City, U.S., 2025. Credit: Eduardo Munoz/REUTERS
The gathering comes as the UN faces questions over its ability to influence major conflicts, amid a broader crisis of multilateral cooperation. UN Secretary-General António Guterres, serving his final year in office, warned that power is shifting in what he described as an “era of deep uncertainty.”
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A man holds a photo and a lantern as Iranian Americans hold a candlelight vigil against the Iranian leadership outside the United Nations headquarters in New York City, US, September 19, 2026. REUTERS/David ‘Dee’ Delgado Credit: David Dee Delgado/ REUTERS
A man holds a photo and a lantern as Iranian Americans hold a candlelight vigil against the Iranian leadership outside the United Nations headquarters in New York City, US, September 19, 2026. REUTERS/David ‘Dee’ Delgado Credit: David Dee Delgado/ REUTERS
The future of the UN itself will be a major issue. Member states have agreed on a broad reform package that includes changes to institutions such as the Security Council, where the U.S., Russia, China, Britain and France hold veto power. The race to replace Guterres will also feature in behind-the-scenes diplomacy.
The gathering is also notable for who is absent: Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are skipping the meeting.
Guterres has said international cooperation is more necessary than ever as the world confronts what he called “three existential threats.”