Iran’s delegation walked out of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday after US President Donald Trump threatened to annihilate Iran if it fails to reach a deal with Washington.
Trump made the threat in a combative address at the 81st UNGA session in New York, where he also said Cuba’s communist government is failing and will fall.
Defending America’s military campaign against Iran, he said “I have a big decision to make. 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?”
He said he expects a deal after the US midterm elections, saying “I believe we’ll make a deal right after the election.”
He added “I’m not running. I did that already and won in a landslide. The Republican Party is running, and I’ll be helping them, but I am not running.”
Most of Iran’s delegation left about 10 minutes into the speech. President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi were in New York but not in the hall.
Trump also said on Cuba, “It’s an absolutely failed state, it’s failing like never before, and it will fall.” The Cuban delegation then walked out.
The speech contrasted with Brazilian President Lula, who said “We all know there will be no winners on the battlefield. Diplomacy is the only option.”
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said “Military power alone cannot secure peace.”
Trump also claimed credit for ending the war in Gaza. Turkish President Erdogan described Israel as having a genocidal mind-set, prompting Israeli delegates to leave. Qatar’s Emir called Gaza “a genocide in every sense of the word.”
After his address, Trump signed a deal with Denmark for increased US military presence in Greenland, saying “We will have the complete ability to do what is necessary to defend the American continent and also Europe and other places.”
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