Most Dangerous Countries Face New Threats as Trump Warns of Annihilating Iran at UN
At the United Nations General Assembly, President Donald Trump threatened to annihilate Iran if no deal is reached, prompting the Iranian delegation to walk out, while also declaring that Cuba's government will fall, leading its delegation to exit as well. The address placed most dangerous countries under renewed scrutiny as Trump outlined stark choices for Iran and Cuba.
Trump's UNGA Address and Iranian Walkout
Trump defended the US military campaign against Iran, warned of escalation to prevent nuclear weapons acquisition, and expressed belief a deal would be made after the US midterms. He told world leaders at the UN headquarters that he faced a big decision on whether to allow Iran to rebuild or to annihilate the Islamic Republic quickly. Trump said he believed a deal would be reached right after the election. The Iranian delegation walked out of the General Assembly Hall as Trump addressed the conflict, with most leaving about 10 minutes into his speech. Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi were in New York but absent from the hall during Trump’s address. Trump portrayed the campaign against Iran as necessary to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons and claimed American military power had altered the balance of power in the region. [1]
Statements on Cuba and Other Global Issues
Trump claimed credit for ending the war in Gaza, addressed disputes in Venezuela, Ukraine and the ICC, and signed an agreement with Denmark for increased US military presence in Greenland. He said his administration was seeking a fundamental change in the situation in Cuba and declared it an absolutely failed state that is failing like never before and will fall. The Cuban delegation subsequently walked out of the General Assembly Hall. Reuters reported that Trump said the Cuban government was under the greatest pressure it had ever faced and that his administration expected its political system to fall. Trump devoted much of his roughly 40-minute address to defending his administration’s foreign policy and military actions. Immediately after his address, Trump signed an agreement with Denmark concerning increased US military presence in Greenland while maintaining Danish control of the territory. Trump said the agreement would give the United States permanent control over security and all other needs on that territory. [1]
Contrasting Calls for Diplomacy
Trump’s remarks contrasted sharply with the emphasis on diplomacy from Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who addressed the assembly shortly before him. Lula said the wars and escalating tensions confronting the international community could not be resolved through military force alone. UN Secretary-General António Guterres also urged world leaders to strengthen international cooperation rather than retreat into confrontation. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sharply criticised Israel, describing it as having a genocidal mind-set. Israeli delegates subsequently left the General Assembly Hall as Erdogan spoke. Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani also addressed the Gaza conflict, describing the situation there as a genocide in every sense of the word. [1]
Iraq Halts Iranian Flights Under US Pressure
Iraq suspended Iranian flights to Baghdad airport after US threats of secondary sanctions on service providers, with flights possibly diverted to Najaf. Iraq ordered its civil aviation authority to suspend Iranian flights to Baghdad airport starting Wednesday, two sources told Reuters, after the United States threatened to sanction any airport that services Iranian carriers. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Monday that all Iranian airlines would be shut down on September 23 by the threat of secondary sanctions on air services providers. The Iraqi government is discussing diverting Iranian Airways flights from Baghdad to Najaf airport, two sources familiar with the matter said. The suspension of flights will begin at midnight on Wednesday. Iranian news agency Tasnim said earlier that flights from Tehran to Baghdad and Muscat have been canceled starting Wednesday. Bessent told CNBC that when Iranian airlines land at an airport, you cannot provide them with fuel, you cannot provide them with landing services, you cannot sell them tickets, or you will be knocked out of the dollar system. [2]
Syrian Leader's Assessment of Israel Talks
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa stated that October 7 cannot dictate Israel's Syria policy, revealed negotiations reached nearly 90% agreement, and criticized ongoing Israeli bombings while insisting the Golan Heights remain Syrian. Speaking at an Atlantic Council panel in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, al-Sharaa said he understood what happened on October 7 to some of the innocent people but argued that the attack could not serve as the basis for Israel's broader regional policy. He said direct talks between the sides have been taking place for roughly a year with American involvement and that the sides almost reached 90% of agreements. Al-Sharaa claimed that when the sides approached agreement, Israel pulled back or introduced additional conditions. He stressed that the channel remained active and outlined a phased process in which Israel must first withdraw from territory it entered after the fall of Bashar Assad's regime on December 8, 2024, and return to the positions associated with the 1974 disengagement arrangement. On the Golan Heights, al-Sharaa drew a firm line and said Damascus regards the territory as Syrian. [3]
China's Leverage on Iran and Taiwan Arms
Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to press Trump to halt US arms sales to Taiwan during their meeting, offering in exchange help to pressure Iran. Xi plans to offer help to lay pressure on Iran in exchange for the United States stopping weapons sales to Taiwan. Xi is expected to refer to a more than 40-year-old agreement between the countries to argue that the United States should reduce weapons sales. The agreement is a joint statement the United States and China entered into in 1982 while Ronald Reagan was president. The Trump administration approved in December a weapons package to Taiwan valued at more than 110 billion kroner. A new package of around 14 billion dollars has according to Reuters been put on hold for several months. [4]
What to watch next: Trump and Xi are set to meet this week in Washington with discussions expected on arms sales to Taiwan and pressure on Iran, while preliminary bilateral talks in New York on Sunday were described as positive but failed to reach an agreement on extending a tariff truce expiring in November.
