• Bangladesh assumes presidency as General Assembly formally opens in New York
• Trump to speak on opening day; PM Shehbaz’s speech on 25th; Pezeshkian’s attendance ‘not yet confirmed’
• Renewal on the cards as tenure of panel monitoring Iran sanctions expires during UNGA session

WASHINGTON: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is due to arrive in New York later this month for the UN General Assembly, where he is expected to highlight Pakistan’s efforts to find a peaceful solution to the ongoing US-Iran war.

PM Shehbaz is slated to address the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly on Sept 25, where the Gulf conflict is expected to overshadow much of the high-level debate.

The official theme of the 81st session is ‘Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations That Delivers for All’, and the UNGA debate is expected to run from Sept 22 to 26, with a final sitting on Sept 28.

However, ongoing fighting between Washington and Tehran is expected to feature prominently in discussions among world leaders, particularly over the security of the Strait of Hormuz, regional stability and the possibility of finding a diplomatic way out of the confrontation.

The participation of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is also emerging as a key question ahead of the high-level week.

Iran is listed on the tentative speakers’ schedule as the fifth speaker on Sept 23, the second day of the UNGA debate, but a final decision on whether he will travel to New York or not, has not yet been made.

Iranian officials have indicated that Tehran is still assessing the level of participation and attendance, citing what they describe as “illegal conditions” imposed by Washington on the Iranian delegation’s travel and attendance.

US President Donald Trump is scheduled to address the General Assembly on Sept 22, the opening day of the high-level debate, following Brazil, which traditionally opens the general debate.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is also expected to attend reception hosted by President Trump on the same day.

Israel, the other party to the conflict, is scheduled to speak on Sept 24, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu representing his country.

India, meanwhile, is only sending its foreign minister, who is scheduled to address the General Assembly on Sept 26.

According to diplomatic sources, Pakistan is expected to use the forum of the UN General Assembly to underline its position that the conflict should be resolved through negotiations rather than prolonged military confrontation.

The prime minister is also expected to highlight Islamabad’s contacts with countries involved in efforts to de-escalate the situation.

The Iranian issue is already occupying a prominent place on the UN agenda ahead of the arrival of world leaders.

The Security Council is scheduled to vote on Sept 17 on renewing the mandate of the panel of experts monitoring sanctions on Iran. The panel’s mandate expires on Sept 26, during the General Assembly’s high-level week.

The proposed renewal is expected to produce another confrontation between the United States and its Western allies on one side and Russia and China on the other.

Moscow and Beijing have opposed continuation of the monitoring mechanism, arguing that the Security Council no longer has the authority to pursue the matter in its present form.

The dispute is linked to the restoration of UN sanctions on Iran under the “snapback” mechanism after Britain, France and Germany concluded last year that Tehran was not complying with its obligations under the 2015 nuclear agreement. Iran has rejected allegations that it is seeking nuclear weapons.

The Sept 17 vote will therefore come just days before heads of government begin arriving for the General Assembly and could further sharpen the diplomatic divisions surrounding Iran.

For Pakistan, the situation carries additional urgency because of its geographical proximity to the conflict and its economic and security interests in the Gulf region.

The prime minister will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including senior members of the government, and is expected to hold a series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the General Assembly.

The UN session formally opened on Wednesday, with Bangladesh’s Khalilur Rahman assuming the presidency of the 81st General Assembly. Mr Rahman has placed peace and security, restoration of trust in multilateral institutions and UN reform among the priorities of his presidency.

The session also comes ahead of a major change in the UN hierarchy, as it would be the last for current Secretary General Antonio Guterres, whose term ends on Dec 31, 2026.

Published in Dawn, September 10th, 2026