US President Donald Trump has defended his administration’s military action against Iran in an address to the 81st UN General Assembly in New York yesterday. He urged countries to maintain economic pressure on Tehran and said Iran faces a choice between reaching a deal and facing further US military action.
Mr Trump said the United States had targeted Iran’s nuclear programme and weakened its military capabilities. He reiterated that Washington would not allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons.
He also called for the complete economic isolation of Iran until it ends attacks on commercial shipping and its support for what he described as terrorism.
On other foreign policy issues, Mr Trump said efforts were continuing to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Mr. Trump highlighted a series of developments across the Western Hemisphere, including what he described as a US military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the arrest of President Nicolás Maduro.
He said the US was now working with Venezuelan leaders toward what he called “a much better future for the Venezuelan people” and announced a major oil agreement between the two countries.
On Mexico, the President focused on efforts against transnational crime, saying drug cartels had been designated as foreign terrorist organisations and calling on the country to reclaim control of its soil from the enemies of humanity.
He also cited ongoing negotiations with Cuba, saying his administration sought a fundamental change in the situation there.
The President also lauded the new agreement due to be signed with Greenland, describing the Arctic territory as strategically important to regional and international security.
Mr. Trump said the arrangement with Denmark and Greenland would give the United States “permanent control over security and all other needs” on the territory and would support NATO’s security posture in the Arctic and North Atlantic regions.
A significant portion of the address also focused on artificial intelligence (AI).
He said the United States would promote the development of artificial intelligence, which he called “superintelligence”, while rejecting what he described as international attempts to control the technology.
He also criticised several international bodies including the International Criminal Court, UNESCO and the UN Human Rights Council.
Mr. Trump described the International Criminal Court (ICC) as an institution full of evil people with no jurisdiction over the United States and called on nations to withdraw from it.
The President was similarly critical of the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council, accusing it of focusing excessively on the US while overlooking abuses elsewhere.
He criticised the education, culture and science agency, UNESCO and the International Maritime Organization, arguing that international bodies should not advance what he characterised as global governance initiatives.