Donald Trump told the United Nations General Assembly he could quickly destroy Iran's government or accept a deal that lets the country rebuild, as US envoys met Iranian officials on the sidelines. He predicted an agreement would come after November's midterm elections and separately threatened Cuba and other Western Hemisphere states.
Donald Trump told world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday that he faces a major decision on Iran. According to the Financial Times: "Or do I annihilate the Islamic republic and do it quickly" if Tehran does not accept US terms for a deal that lets it rebuild.
A decision on Iran
Trump framed the choice facing Iran as potential greatness or obliteration during his address. He said US special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner held a positive meeting with members of the Iranian delegation on the sidelines of the assembly, with a further meeting planned soon. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian was traveling to New York to attend the UNGA, according to the report.
The president also dismissed warnings from defence analysts that US munitions stockpiles have run low, calling those repeating the claim cowardly and disloyal and insisting the US holds more munitions than it could ever need.
Deal timeline tied to midterms
The president predicted an agreement would be reached right after the November 3 midterm elections, saying Iran is watching how he performs in the vote. He added that the election carries no weight in his approach to the war, stating the only consideration is that Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon.
Speaking afterward at a bilateral meeting with UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham, Trump said he expects energy prices, which have risen through the conflict, to fall once the war ends, easing the inflation pressure the war has stoked. Diesel prices had already hit a record average of $6.50 a gallon, according to the American Automobile Association.
Threats extend to Cuba and the hemisphere
Trump called Cuba an absolutely failed state and accused it of coordinating with left-wing radicals and communist networks in the US, prompting the Cuban delegation to stand up and leave the hall. He said Secretary of State Marco Rubio is negotiating with the island nation.
He warned that the US will no longer allow threats to gain a foothold anywhere in the Western Hemisphere, pointing to the administration's intervention in Venezuela as evidence. The US would use its military might to secure its vital national interests if necessary, he added. Trump also touted a new military deal with Greenland and Denmark, signed at a trilateral meeting later Tuesday.
Sources: Financial Times, CNBC
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