The Iranian delegation walked out of the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday after United States President Donald Trump threatened to “annihilate” Iran if Tehran fails to reach a deal with Washington.
The Cuban delegation also left the assembly hall after Trump described Cuba as a failed state and said its communist government “will fall.”
Trump made the remarks in an 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 Washington could escalate the conflict if no agreement is reached.
“I have a big decision to make,” Trump told world leaders.
He presented what he described as a choice between reaching a deal that would allow Iran to rebuild and taking further military action against the Islamic Republic.
“Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly,” Trump said, adding that he could “drive them into hell with no chance of survival.”
Trump nevertheless said he believed a deal with Iran could eventually be reached, saying he expected an agreement after the US midterm elections.
“I believe we’ll make a deal right after the election,” he said.
The Iranian delegation began leaving the General Assembly Hall about 10 minutes into Trump’s address, as he discussed the US military campaign against Tehran. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi were in New York for the UN gathering but did not attend Trump’s speech.
Trump devoted much of his roughly 40-minute address to defending his administration’s foreign policy and military actions, arguing that the campaign against Iran was necessary to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
He also criticised 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.
Trump said the Cuban government was facing the greatest pressure it had ever experienced and predicted that its political system would collapse.
His remarks came shortly after Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva addressed the assembly and called for diplomacy to resolve international conflicts.
“We all know there will be no winners on the battlefield,” Lula said. “Diplomacy is the only option.”
UN Secretary-General António Guterres also urged world leaders to strengthen international cooperation.
“Military power alone cannot secure peace,” Guterres said in his opening address.
Trump’s speech also touched on Venezuela, Gaza, Ukraine and the International Criminal Court. He claimed credit for efforts to end the war in Gaza and presented the United States as a central force in resolving international conflicts.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in his address to the assembly, criticised Israel over its conduct in Gaza, while Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani also spoke about the conflict and described the situation in Gaza as “a genocide in every sense of the word.”
Trump’s appearance at the UN came amid the continuing conflict with Iran and international concern over its economic impact, including disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz and elevated energy prices.
Following his UN address, Trump signed an agreement with Denmark concerning an increased US military presence in Greenland while maintaining Danish control of the territory.
Trump said the arrangement would give the United States greater capacity to defend North America and Europe. He has repeatedly expressed interest in acquiring Greenland but did not rule out that objective when asked whether the agreement meant Washington had abandoned it.
The UN General Assembly is the organisation’s main deliberative and representative body, bringing together member states annually to discuss international peace and security, development and other global issues.
