Members of Iran’s delegation walked out of the UN General Assembly Tuesday as US President Donald Trump defended Washington’s military campaign against Tehran and threatened to “annihilate” the Islamic Republic if the two countries failed to reach an agreement.
The Iranian representatives began leaving as Trump turned to the nearly seven-month conflict and US military operations against Iran during his address to the 81st session of the General Assembly. Only one lower-level member of the delegation remained seated after the walkout. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, both in New York for the annual gathering, were not in the chamber during Trump’s speech.
Deal or destruction
Trump framed the next stage of the confrontation as a choice between an agreement that would allow Iran to rebuild and further US military action.
“I have a big decision to make,” Trump said, asking whether an agreement would allow Iran to “rebuild and create a far greater country” or whether he would “annihilate the Islamic Republic”.
Despite the threat, Trump said he believed Washington and Tehran would eventually reach an agreement, suggesting a deal could come after the November 3 US midterm elections.
The President reiterated that preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon remained a central US objective. His remarks combined threats of further military action with an indication that Washington remained open to a negotiated settlement.
Earlier Tuesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US was open to meeting Iranian officials on the sidelines of the UN gathering, although no meeting had been scheduled. He said Washington would consider talks if there was a realistic prospect of achieving a positive outcome.
Trump defends Iran war
Trump used a significant portion of his UN address to defend the US decision to join Israel in launching military action against Iran in February. He argued that the campaign had prevented Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon and said American military pressure would continue if Iran refused to reach an agreement.
The President also called on other countries to join the US in economically isolating Iran, portraying sanctions and international pressure as tools for forcing Tehran back to negotiations.
Trump also referred to efforts to keep oil moving through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global energy supplies. He said the US Navy had escorted oil shipments through the waterway and claimed flows had increased from levels seen earlier in the conflict.
The war began on February 28 with US-Israeli strikes on Iran and has since been accompanied by intermittent diplomatic efforts aimed at finding a settlement.
Pezeshkian to address UN
Pezeshkian is scheduled to address the General Assembly Wednesday, giving Tehran an opportunity to present its position on the conflict directly to world leaders.
The Iranian President travelled to New York amid tight restrictions imposed by the US on the movement of the Iranian delegation. Washington allowed a core group of senior Iranian officials to attend the UN meeting in accordance with its obligations as host country.
Iran has maintained that its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes and has accused Washington and Israel of aggression, while the US has insisted that Tehran must not be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon.
The walkout Tuesday provided a visible demonstration of the hostility between the two sides even as both governments left open the possibility of renewed negotiations.