Iranian delegates walked out of the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday after US President Donald Trump threatened to “annihilate” the Islamic Republic if Tehran fails to reach a deal with Washington.
Trump made the remarks during a combative address to the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York, where he defended the US military campaign against Iran and warned that he could escalate the conflict rather than accept a settlement that would allow Tehran to recover.
“I have a big decision to make,” Trump told world leaders gathered at the UN headquarters.
“Will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before, maybe one of the greatest in the Middle East or even the world?
“Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again? Do I drive them into hell with no chance of survival and no hope of future greatness or generations?”
Trump nevertheless said he believed an agreement with Iran would eventually be reached, suggesting that this could happen after the US midterm elections.
“I believe we’ll make a deal right after the election,” he said.
Most members of the Iranian delegation left the General Assembly Hall about 10 minutes into Trump’s speech. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi were in New York for the UN gathering but did not attend the address in the hall.
Trump devoted much of his roughly 37-minute speech to defending US foreign policy and military action against Iran, arguing that the campaign was necessary to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
He also turned his attention to Cuba, saying his administration was seeking “a fundamental change in the situation in Cuba”.
“It’s an absolutely failed state — it’s failing like never before, and it will fall,” Trump said.
The Cuban delegation subsequently walked out of the General Assembly Hall during his remarks.
Trump’s comments contrasted with calls for diplomacy from Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who addressed the assembly shortly before the US president.
Lula said the conflicts and rising tensions confronting the international community could not be resolved through military force alone.
“We all know there will be no winners on the battlefield,” Lula said in Portuguese. “Diplomacy is the only option.”
UN Secretary-General António Guterres also called for greater international cooperation, saying military power alone could not secure peace.
Trump’s address also covered other foreign policy issues, including Venezuela, Gaza, Ukraine and the International Criminal Court. He claimed credit for ending the war in Gaza and portrayed the United States as a central force in resolving international conflicts.
The Gaza conflict also featured prominently in other speeches. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticised Israel, while Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani described the situation in Gaza as “a genocide in every sense of the word”.
Trump’s appearance at the UN came amid the continuing war with Iran and international concern over its economic consequences, including disruption around the Strait of Hormuz and elevated energy prices.
Following his UN address, Trump signed a security agreement with Denmark and Greenland aimed at expanding the US military presence on the Arctic territory while keeping Greenland under Danish sovereignty. The agreement provides for an expanded US military presence and plans for two new military bases.
Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in acquiring Greenland, but the new agreement does not transfer sovereignty of the territory to the United States. Denmark has said its sovereignty over Greenland will not be compromised by the deal.
