UNGA 2026: Trump, Iran war, Gaza and AI dominate high-level week in New York

World leaders and senior diplomats are gathering in New York for the high-level week of the 81st United Nations General Assembly, with wars in West Asia and Ukraine, the future of Gaza, artificial intelligence and the UN's own leadership and finances among the key issues expected to dominate discussions.

The high-level general debate begins on Tuesday, September 22, bringing more than 130 heads of state or government to UN headquarters for speeches, bilateral meetings and negotiations. The 81st session is being held under the theme, “Restoring trust, managing transformation: A United Nations that delivers for all.”

The gathering also comes at a significant moment for the UN, with Secretary-General António Guterres approaching the end of his tenure and the race to select his successor underway. Bangladesh's Khalilur Rahman is presiding over the 81st General Assembly.

Trump faces a packed diplomatic agenda

US President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet leaders of Persian Gulf Arab states on Tuesday to discuss the next phase of the war with Iran.

His UNGA schedule also includes a high-level briefing involving his Board of Peace, an initiative intended to oversee the reconstruction of Gaza.

The war in Iran is expected to feature prominently throughout the week, alongside the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine. Reuters reported that Trump's schedule includes a series of bilateral and multilateral meetings with leaders from several regions as Washington deals with the continuing conflict with Tehran and its wider impact.

France is also planning a follow-up meeting on the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. France and several other Western countries recognised the State of Palestine during last year's UNGA proceedings.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to meet Trump in New York, as he did last year. US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner separately met Zelensky in Kyiv and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow earlier this month.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is also expected to meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to Russian state media.

Gaza and Palestine remain central to the agenda

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict will be another major focus of the General Assembly, particularly as countries debate the future of Gaza and prospects for a two-state solution.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is scheduled to address the General Assembly on Thursday, before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. However, the Trump administration has again refused Abbas a visa, meaning he is expected to address the chamber by video.

Netanyahu is scheduled to speak on Thursday, while France's planned conference on the two-state solution will provide another diplomatic forum for discussions on Palestinian statehood.

The UN gathering comes amid continuing international debate over the organisation's ability to influence conflicts and implement international decisions. Supporters maintain that the UN remains the only institution with the legitimacy and mandate to bring all countries together to address global crises and establish international rules.

Iran's presence puts Washington and Tehran in the same diplomatic arena

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is expected to travel to New York and attend the General Assembly, despite the continuing conflict between Iran and the United States.

Washington has allowed Iran's core delegation to participate in the high-level week. However, the delegation is smaller than last year's team and faces restrictions on movement and on the purchase of luxury and other goods under US sanctions policy.

Pezeshkian's appearance is particularly notable because Iran remains engaged in active combat with the United States. Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has already arrived in New York for the UN gathering, marking his first visit to the US since the war began. The US approved visas for senior Iranian officials despite the ongoing hostilities.

The Iranian delegation's presence provides an opportunity for diplomatic engagement at a time when the conflict continues to affect energy markets and regional security.

Greenland deal could feature during the week

The General Assembly is also expected to provide a setting for formalising agreements involving the United States.

Trump is expected to sign an agreement negotiated with Denmark and Greenland that would give the US permanent control over Greenlandic security. The precise details of the proposed arrangement, and how it would differ from existing security arrangements, remain unclear.

The United States already maintains a significant military presence on the Arctic island under existing agreements.

Trump's meetings during the week are expected to include representatives from Denmark and Greenland, adding another issue to an already crowded diplomatic schedule.

Who will address the General Assembly?

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is scheduled to be the first head of state to speak on Tuesday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is due to address the assembly on Thursday.

Venezuelan acting President Delcy Rodríguez will make her UN debut on Thursday and is expected to meet Trump before her address.

More than 130 heads of state or government are expected to attend the high-level week, although the composition of national delegations varies significantly. Current reporting has also highlighted notable absences and questions surrounding the participation of some major powers.

There had been speculation over whether Chinese President Xi Jinping might make a surprise appearance in New York while the General Assembly is underway. Xi is due to visit Washington for a state visit during the broader UNGA period, although current reporting indicates that China will not be represented by Xi at the General Assembly itself.

Guterres faces his final major UNGA

This year's General Assembly is among the final major international appearances of António Guterres as UN secretary-general. He is due to leave office at the end of the year.

French President Emmanuel Macron is also making what is expected to be his final appearance at the General Assembly.

The contest to replace Guterres before the end of 2026 is therefore a major issue during the high-level week. An informal UN Security Council straw poll held on Friday placed former Costa Rican Vice President Rebeca Grynspan narrowly ahead, according to diplomats and sources familiar with the process. The selection process is not yet complete.

The United States has not formally endorsed a candidate. Washington has said candidates for the next secretary-general should publicly commit to reforms sought by the US.

The new secretary-general will begin a five-year term on January 1, 2027.

AI moves to the centre of UN discussions

Artificial intelligence is expected to be another defining subject at this year's General Assembly.

Guterres has made AI a major focus of his tenure and devoted significant attention to the technology during his final press conference before the high-level week.

A conference on digital cooperation involving technology industry figures, diplomats and actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt is scheduled for Monday. The UN Security Council is also due to hold a meeting on AI on Wednesday, while the United States is hosting another event on the subject the same day.

The discussions follow growing international concern over the rapid development of advanced AI models and the potential risks associated with the technology. A UN scientific panel has recently called for safeguards to be developed even before all potential risks are fully understood.

The wider UN agenda also includes climate action, sustainable development and efforts to rebuild trust in multilateral institutions. The General Assembly presidency has identified peace, inclusion, climate, rights, innovation and reform of the multilateral system among its priorities.

UN's finances and relevance under scrutiny

The UN enters this year's General Assembly in a better financial position than it was in 2025, when the organisation faced a severe budget crisis amid threats from the United States to reduce its funding.

Ahead of the General Assembly, the US government sent the UN $827 million in dues. That remains only a fraction of the approximately $4 billion the US owes the organisation, but represents a substantial payment for a body that had faced warnings of an imminent financial crisis earlier this year.

Questions over the UN's relevance and effectiveness are nevertheless expected to remain central to the debate.

The organisation continues to face scrutiny over its ability to influence wars, enforce international decisions and respond effectively to global crises. At the same time, supporters argue that it remains the only institution with the legitimacy and mandate to bring every country together to address international conflicts and establish common rules.

The 81st General Assembly therefore arrives at a crossroads, with world leaders confronting active wars, rapid technological change, financial pressures and a leadership transition at the UN itself.