US Delegate Walks Out During Iranian President's UN Address

A member of the United States delegation walked out of the United Nations General Assembly hall in New York as Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian began delivering an address that criticized the war his country says the United States and its allies waged against it, according to a report from Al Jazeera.

The departure occurred as Pezeshkian opened his remarks to the 81st session of the General Assembly, where world leaders have been gathering this week to address the chamber. The Iranian leader's speech focused on the conflict, which Tehran has cast as an act of aggression against its sovereignty.

The walkout is among a series of pointed exchanges at this year's General Assembly session, where tensions between Washington and Tehran have featured prominently in the general debate. Other world leaders have also used their platforms this week to address the fallout from the war and its implications for the wider Middle East.

Al Jazeera did not provide further details on the identity of the US official who left, or on the remainder of Pezeshkian's remarks. The Iranian president was expected to continue addressing the assembly following the delegate's departure.

The episode adds to a tense atmosphere surrounding this year's UN gathering, where diplomatic friction over the conflict has repeatedly surfaced on the sidelines of formal proceedings.