India, Sept. 19 -- US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott on Thursday (local time) warned Iranian officials against using their visit to New York for the UN General Assembly to go on luxury shopping sprees, saying, "not on our watch".

This comes even as the US has approved visas for Iran's delegation to attend the UNGA High-Level Week amid the escalating tensions in West Asia. In a post on X, Pigott claimed that the alleged "shopping sprees" will be done on money that is paid for by the "Iranian people's suffering".

"While ordinary Iranians endure brutal repression, water and electricity shortages, and soaring inflation, the regime's officials want to go on shopping sprees in New York. Not on our watch. We will not let the Irania...