What Pezeshkian can and cannot do in New York

Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian's current stay in New York for the UN General Assembly will be the shortest of any of his predecessors, lasting just three days.

This short stay could explain his limited media exposure and help mask his communication weaknesses. Over the past few months, Pezeshkian has shown he’s not a strong speaker, often repeating himself multiple times in the same interview or speech.

Even when reading from a prepared text, he tends to lose his place. On several occasions, he’s even cut speeches short, claiming the audience appeared bored.
Although Pezeshkian’s first appearance in New York took place behind closed doors in a meeting with a group of journalists, labeled by his team as "media managers," it is likely that he will delegate interviews with US and international media to his vice president for strategic affairs, former Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. Zarif is expected to convey the message that Iran has changed and is ready to engage with the world.

Pezeshkian has described his mission to New York as "telling the world that Iran is more secure and free than you think." However, this message may be difficult to convey, given recent events.

Just recently, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran, and as in previous years, Iranian expats continue to face the risk of being taken hostage on fabricated charges.

Beyond security concerns, the state of freedom in Iran is also under scrutiny, particularly with Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, who has spent years in prison for defending the rights of other prisoners and is expected to serve even more time behind bars.
Pezeshkian's activity in New York may be limited to a 20-minute speech at the UNGA on Tuesday and a brief five-minute address on advocating global peace. Given Iran's involvement in conflicts across the Middle East and accusations of arming Russia against Ukraine, the Iranian president may have little to contribute to the forum initiated by the UN Secretary-General.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in New York a couple of days before Pezeshkian with his own entourage, possibly to give the President an opportunity to pretend that unlike previous presidents he has travelled to New York as the head of a delegation of 40 people including his daughter and son-in-law. Many on Iranian social media demanded an explanation for why the couple is accompanying the President.

As of Monday evening, Araghchi had only given interviews in Farsi with Iranian state TV and the official news agency IRNA, where he expressed his willingness to resume negotiations over Iran's controversial nuclear program.

However, he quickly acknowledged that this would be difficult to achieve. It remains unclear whom he would engage with, even if Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has given him the green light.

President Joe Biden is largely inaccessible with less than two months before he leaves the White House, and the next president, whose identity remains unknown until the election concludes, won't take office until January.

Pezeshkian, Araghchi, and their entourage are set to meet with a group of Iranians living in the US, where Pezeshkian plans to invite them to invest in Iran. Ironically, many of those invited are university students and academics—not exactly known for their wealth—even if they could trust the officials after enjoying a meal of rice, broad beans, and lamb shank washed down with yogurt drink. Previous Iranian presidents have made similar appeals in past years, all without success.

Convincing Iranians that their country is safe for investment will be even more challenging than persuading foreigners. They know firsthand why they or their families left, often after having their assets confiscated, with little hope of recovering their rights. These experiences make any assurances about security and stability difficult to believe.

The views expressed are the contributor's own and do not necessarily represent the views of Iran International or its staff.