U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday defended his war against Iran before the United Nations General Assembly, saying Tehran was no longer the dominant power it once was in the Middle East.
“They were the bully of the Middle East, but they are the bully no more,” Trump said as the UN’s annual high-level debate, attended by leaders from around the world, opened in New York.
Trump said he had remained unwavering throughout his political career in his determination to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
“I will never allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon,” he said.
Iranian representatives in the assembly hall listened to Trump’s remarks without visible reaction.
The United States and Israel jointly launched the war against Iran on February 28, prompting Tehran to retaliate with attacks across the region.
Trump portrayed the military campaign as having inflicted devastating damage on the country.
“As a result of Operation Epic Fury, all 159 ships of their navy are now lying at the bottom of the sea,” he said.
“Likewise, their air force is gone. Their radar is gone. Their anti-aircraft equipment is gone. Their missile and drone manufacturing capacity is almost gone. Their economy is gone.”
Trump then dramatically raised the prospect of annihilating the Islamic Republic if Tehran does not strike a deal with Washington.
“I have a big decision to make,” he told the audience, saying one option was to make a deal with Iran.
“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?”
Trump nevertheless said he believed Tehran would ultimately agree to a deal, likely after the U.S. mid-term elections.
Trump’s comments at the UN come as the conflict has created a growing political headache at home, driven in large part by soaring energy prices.
As the war has progressed, the dispute over Iran’s controversial nuclear programme has increasingly been overshadowed by the struggle for control of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial artery for global oil trade.
Iran effectively brought shipping through the strait to a standstill with threats and attacks shortly after the war began, sending global oil and petrol prices sharply higher.
The surge has put Trump and his Republican Party under growing domestic pressure ahead of the midterm congressional elections in early November.
Public opinion polls show the war is growing deeply unpopular in the U.S. as it has now dragged on for almost seven months – far longer than the few weeks Trump initially said it would take.
Iran vows to maintain int’l flights despite U.S. threat
Meanwhile, Iranian officials on Tuesday said Iran is seeking to maintain flights to international destinations in spite of the sweeping U.S. sanctions targeting the country’s aviation sector.
“So far, none of the international flights operated by Iranian airlines have been cancelled, and flights are operating according to schedule,” Majid Akhavan, spokesman for Iran’s Civil Aviation Organisation, told the ISNA news agency.
“Passengers will be informed in advance of any changes to flight schedules,” he added.
State carrier Iran Air also said it had received no instructions from civil aviation authorities in Turkey, Iraq or Azerbaijan requiring flights to be suspended.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Monday announced plans to step up pressure on Iran’s aviation sector.
In an interview, Bessent said the aim was to ground all Iranian airlines worldwide from Wednesday, threatening to exclude countries from the U.S. dollar system if they provide the carriers with fuel or ground services or allow tickets to be sold.
“How do we do that? That if they land, 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,” Bessent told CNBC.
Washington imposed sweeping new sanctions on Iran’s aviation sector two weeks ago, targeting 27 airlines.
Foreign companies and banks also face potential consequences if they continue doing business with the sanctioned carriers.
International airlines have largely avoided flying to Iran since the Iran war started in late February.