US President Donald Trump addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, calling on nations to stay united in their pressure on Iran's economy. He showed no signs of backing down from the military conflict with Tehran, which began in February. Despite criticism that the US is not achieving its goals, Trump expressed his belief that a negotiated solution is possible later this year.
Trump posed a question about the potential outcomes with Iran, suggesting that he could either make a deal that would allow the country to rebuild or annihilate the Islamic Republic quickly. He expressed his belief that the two countries will "make a deal, right after the election because it doesn’t make sense for them not to", referring to the House and Senate elections on 3 November.
During a bilateral press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trump confirmed that envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner participated in a three-hour meeting with the Iranian delegation on Tuesday. Trump described the meeting as "very good" and said it had "potential greatness or obliteration".
In his speech at the General Assembly, Trump stated that Iran was likely waiting for the results of the midterm elections to make a deal. He stressed that he "gave absolutely no credence" to the election when making decisions on Iran, maintaining that the regime is "weak and desperate". Despite this characterization, Tehran has largely succeeded in disrupting commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump reiterated his commitment to preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, slamming the regime's leaders for their repeated refusal to make deals and their focus on developing missiles capable of hitting Europe. He linked the fight against Iran to the Hamas invasion of southern Israel nearly three years ago, reminding the world that the two conflicts are connected.
The president cited a list of accomplishments in the war with Iran, including the destruction of all 159 Iranian naval ships, the destruction of the air force, and a significant reduction in missile capacity. He also commended the UN Security Council for voting overwhelmingly to pass a resolution condemning Iran's terrorist attacks on commercial ships.
Trump described the dangers posed by Iran as "a reality that far too many preferred to ignore". He declared that there is no greater threat in the world than "the No. 1 sponsor of terror, the Islamic Republic of Iran", which he accused of "spreading death and carnage and chaos across the entire Middle East and beyond".
Key points
- Trump calls on nations to maintain pressure on Iran's economy.
- Trump expresses his belief that a negotiated solution with Iran is possible later this year.
- Trump reiterates his commitment to preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
