The Trump administration has approved visas for top Iranian officials.

They will attend next week’s U.N. General Assembly meeting in New York.

The State Department said Thursday it approved visas for Iran’s “core delegation” and essential staff.

U.S. officials said the group includes President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of visa privacy laws.

The decision is unusual because Iran and the United States have been at war for more than six months.

There is no sign that deals are close.

These deals would reopen the Strait of Hormuz or restart talks on Iran’s nuclear program.

Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have also increased attacks.

They are targeting Saudi infrastructure and Red Sea shipping.

The United States calls Iran the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism.

It has imposed heavy sanctions on Iran.

As the host country for U.N. headquarters, the U.S. is generally limited in blocking foreign leaders from the General Assembly.

But it has denied or discouraged visas for leaders in active conflicts with the U.S.

Last year, it approved limited visas for Iranian diplomats but imposed strict travel limits.

Those rules restricted how far Iranian officials could travel in New York City.

They also barred them from shopping at wholesale stores like Costco and Sam’s Club.

The State Department said the Iranian delegation will face travel restrictions.

It will also face bans on buying luxury and other goods.

It said the delegation is smaller than last year’s.

The announcement came a day after the State Department denied visas to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his delegation.

The department accused the Palestinian Authority of trying to “internationalize” the Gaza war through international courts.

It also accused it of paying stipends to prisoners jailed in Israel.

The Palestinian Authority condemned the move.

It said such measures weaken the Palestinian partner committed to a political solution.