Trump defends Iran war in address to UN General Assembly

President Donald Trump returned to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday and delivered a forceful defense of his decision to go to war with Iran, arguing before world leaders that the nearly seven-month conflict was necessary to prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

"I gave absolutely no credence and will not give credence to the election when it comes to Iran," Trump told the assembly, accusing Iran of stalling negotiations until after the U.S. midterm elections. "It doesn't even enter my mind." Iran's delegation walked out during his remarks.ktvn

Trump also warned Cuba of "coordinating with left-wing radicals and Communist networks" and declared that "the United States will no longer permit threats to America to gain a foothold anywhere in the Western Hemisphere," according to excerpts of his prepared remarks provided to reporters beforehand. He told assembled delegates he could "annihilate" Iran but expected an eventual deal.nbcnews+1

A Crowded Diplomatic Calendar

Following the speech, Trump was scheduled to meet with more than 11 world leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, and Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodriguez — marking their first meeting since U.S. forces captured former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro earlier this year. A signing ceremony for a new U.S.-Denmark-Greenland security agreement expanding America's military footprint on the island was also planned for Tuesday.reuters+3

Trump was also set to meet with Gulf Cooperation Council leaders from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman, with the Iran war and escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia dominating the agenda. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Trump would be open to meeting Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who is scheduled to address the assembly on Wednesday.pbs+2

War's Shadow Over the Assembly

The speech came at a difficult moment for Trump's presidency. A Reuters/Ipsos poll released Monday showed his approval rating at an all-time low of 32%, dragged down by the Iran war's impact on energy prices. Brent crude has hovered around $100 per barrel, up from roughly $70 before the conflict began, with Houthi advances near the Bab al-Mandab Strait and attacks on Saudi pipelines further disrupting global oil flows.reuters+1

Qatar's foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari, speaking at the Concordia Annual Summit on Monday, captured the urgency felt by mediators. "Either we sign a deal now or sign a deal 10 months away," he said. "The only difference is the number of dead and destruction that we see."pbs+1