US President Donald Trump has told world leaders that American military action against Iran has weakened Tehran’s influence in the Middle East, declaring that the Islamic Republic is “the bully no more.”
Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly, Trump described Iran as the “number one sponsor of terror” and said that the country had previously been allowed to accumulate power at the expense of regional and international security.
“There is no better example of a danger that was allowed to gather strength at the world’s peril than the number one sponsor of terror, the Islamic Republic of Iran. They were the bully of the Middle East, but they are the bully no more.”
Donald Trump
Trump used his address to recount his efforts to reach an agreement with Tehran, claiming that his attempts had been rejected several times. He also accused Iran of building up its missile and drone capabilities to levels that, he said, could eventually have posed a threat to Europe before the United States intervened militarily earlier this year.
His remarks came as efforts to bring the conflict to an end remain unresolved and opposition among Americans to the war has increased.
The speech also prompted a visible response from Iran’s delegation. As Trump described the past six months of intermittent US military strikes against Iran, Iranian delegates began leaving the General Assembly hall.
Iranian President, Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi were both in New York for the annual UN meeting but did not attend Trump’s speech. Lower-level Iranian officials and delegates were initially present before leaving about 10 minutes into the address.
Trump also indicated that the future course of US policy towards Iran could depend on developments following the US midterm elections. “I have a big decision to make,” Trump told the gathering.
He presented two possible paths, saying Washington could pursue a deal that would allow Iran to rebuild or take further military action against the Islamic Republic.
“Will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before, maybe one of the greatest in the Middle East or even the world? Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again?
“Do I drive them into hell with no chance of survival and no hope of future greatness or generations? But I believe we’ll make a deal right after the election because it doesn’t make sense for them not to.”
Donald Trump
He also suggested that Iranian leaders were waiting to see how he performs in the midterm elections before deciding how to proceed. “They don’t realize is that I’m not running,” Trump said.
Trump further cited continued US pressure on Iran, thanking the UN Security Council for what he described as an overwhelming vote condemning Iranian attacks on commercial shipping. “Now we must be equally united in maintaining pressure,” he said.
According to Trump, the US Navy has escorted more than one billion barrels of oil through the Strait of Hormuz since the conflict began, while oil flows through the strategic waterway have increased to their highest level since the start of the war.
Trump Denies US Is Running Low on Munitions
Trump rejected claims that the United States is running short of military munitions, telling world leaders that the country has substantial supplies available despite its ongoing military operations. “It’s not true,” Trump said, adding, “We have more munitions than we could ever possibly even think of using.”
Trump said that the United States is producing munitions at unprecedented levels and is expanding its stockpiles faster than it has previously been able to. “We are adding to our stockpiles faster than we have ever been able to do before,” he said, while noting that new munitions plants are also being built.
His comments echoed an earlier social media post in which he rejected claims that the United States was running low on military supplies.
The remarks come amid continued attention to the scale and duration of US military operations against Iran, as Trump maintains that Washington retains sufficient military capacity while leaving open the possibility of further action or a negotiated settlement.
Trump’s UN address therefore combined a warning over Iran’s regional role with an indication that Washington’s next major decision on the conflict could come after the US midterm elections.
