TRUMP PUTS IRAN’S REGIONAL HOSTILITY AT HEART OF UN SPEECH
US President speaks of ‘tremendous burden’ Middle East neighbours have borne because of Tehran’s aggression
President Donald Trump spoke of the “tremendous burden” Iran’s neighbours have borne for its regional aggression as he put his campaign against the Tehran regime at the heart of his second address to the United Nations.
In a speech that highlighted passion for national sovereignty, prosperity and pride, Mr Trump confronted nations from China through Iran and Venezuela, as well as parts of the United Nations system itself. The US leader was late arriving at the UN headquarters, an unprecedented situation that meant Ecuador spoke before America. It did not take long to get to the heart of his message. “America is governed by Americans,” he said. “We reject the ideology of globalism and we embrace the doctrine of patriotism.”
Alongside this broad theme, the “campaign of economic pressure” against the Tehran regime featured just as prominently. Speaking of his decision to withdraw the US from the “horrible Iran deal”, he said that it had delivered a windfall for Iran’s leaders with its military budget growing 40 per cent after it came into effect.
Other speakers disagreed with the US line, with Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan saying he rejected the decision to choose economic confrontation over talks with Tehran. He also launched a broadside against the dominance of the five veto-wielding nations of the Security Council within the UN system: “The UN Security Council that does not represent the entire world cannot establish justice.”
In a rebuke to Mr Trump, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani told the UN Iran was pleased other countries did not acquiesce to America’s demands to break the deal.
Mr Rouhani invited the United States to return to the negotiating table and said a dialogue did not have to mean a photo opportunity.
President Emmanuel Macron of France took a stand for a two-state solution to the Middle East peace process, a term not mentioned by Mr Trump.
In a swipe at the White House
US President Donald Trump yesterday criticised Iran for “funding havoc and slaughter in Syria and Yemen” and called on the world to isolate its “corrupt dictatorship”.
Mr Trump made his comments in his second address to the UN General Assembly.
Hours after tweeting that he would not meet Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, even though he was probably an “absolutely lovely man”, he launched scathing criticism of Tehran and the mayhem it has spread across the Middle East and the world.
Mr Trump vowed to continue Iran’s isolation through crippling sanctions that he is reinstating after pulling out of the landmark nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers in 2015.
He arrived late for his speech and used the opportunity to express his agenda, reject globalism, dismiss the International Criminal Court and UN Human Rights body, while stressing US sovereignty and “standing up for America and for the American people”.
The speech, which started with laughter from the audience over Mr Trump’s claim that his administration “has accomplished more than almost any administration in the history of our country”, took a more bombastic turn.
He criticised countries including China, Iran, Germany and Venezuela. His harshest lines were aimed at Iran, accusing its government of sowing ”chaos, death and destruction” and “funding havoc and slaughter in Syria and Yemen”.
“They do not respect their neighbours or borders, or the sovereign rights of nations,” Mr Trump said. “Instead, Iran’s leaders plunder the nation’s resources to enrich themselves.”
He said Iranian leaders had embezzled “billions of dollars from Iran’s treasury, seized valuable portions of the economy and looted the people’s religious endowments, all to line their own pockets and send their proxies to wage war.” “Not good,” Mr Trump said. His attack came after he left the door open to a possible meeting with the Iranian leader in the future.
“Despite requests, I have no plans to meet Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. Maybe some day in the future,” Mr Trump tweeted.
Asked about the possibility of a meeting, Mr Trump said Iran would have to “change its tune” first.
But he said there was a chance for a track of diplomacy similar to the one he pursued with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, who he met in a Singapore summit in June.
On the Middle East, Mr Trump praised Saudi Arabia “where King Salman and the Crown Prince are pursuing bold new reforms”. But he criticised Opec and threatened punitive measures if oil prices remain that high.
“Opec and Opec nations are, as usual, ripping off the rest of the world and I don’t like it. Nobody should like it,” he said. “We defend many of these nations for nothing and then they take advantage of us by giving us high oil prices. Not good.”
As the US Congress is considering legislation against Opec, Mr Trump threatened it: “We are not going to put up with it, these horrible prices, much longer.”
Oil prices have reached a high of $82 and there are fears that Mr Trump’s second round of sanctions on Iran’s oil market in November will drive the price to $100 a few days before the US midterm elections.
Mr Trump lamented the continuing tragedy in Syria and repeated his administration’s willingness to “respond if chemical weapons are deployed by the Assad regime”.
The speech did not reveal any new US plan for the Israeli-Palestinian peace process but he took credit for moving the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv.
“The US is committed to a future of peace and stability in the region, including peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians,” Mr Trump said. “That aim is advanced, not harmed, by acknowledging the obvious facts.”
Palestinian officials were quick to denounce the US President’s approach. Senior Palestine Liberation Organisation member Hanan Ashrawi wrote on Twitter that it was a “superficial defence of unilateralism, isolationism and plain bullying”.
“He launched arrogant attack on global system from its podium boasted of illegally moving embassy to Jerusalem and leaving the Human Rights Council. Condescending ignorance: double flaws.
North Korean leader Mr Kim took most of the praise in Mr Trump’s speech.
“I would like to thank Chairman Kim for his courage and for the steps he has taken, though much work remains to be done,” Mr Trump said.
“The missiles and rockets are no longer flying in every direction, nuclear testing has stopped,” but “the sanctions will stay in place until denuclearisation occurs”.
He said the ICC had “no legitimacy and no authority”, and criticised Germany for its reliance on Russian fuel.
Mr Trump said Germany “will become totally dependent on Russian energy if it does not immediately change course”.
He will today chair a Security Council meeting on non-proliferation before leaving New York on Thursday.