UN General Assembly: Middle East tensions dominate diplomatic week in New York

The UN General Assembly opens Tuesday in New York for a week of high-level diplomatic meetings, with the Middle East expected to dominate discussions amid multiple global crises and a weakened United Nations. The agenda includes Ukraine, Sudan, artificial intelligence, and pandemic protections, but the Middle East weighs heavily due to the war with Iran, the blocked Strait of Hormuz, and regional tensions. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is absent due to a US visa denial, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected Thursday despite an ICC arrest warrant. Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian received a visa, but part of his delegation was barred from entry. French President Emmanuel Macron aims to influence US President Donald Trump on Ukraine, while Trump is set to sign a Greenland agreement with Denmark.