Trump threatens to "annihilate" Iran, calls for Cuba regime change in UNGA speech
New York, Sept. 22 (UNI) President Donald Trump delivered a combative address to the 81st United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, opening with a defense of his domestic record before pivoting to sweeping threats against Iran and a call for fundamental political change in Cuba, framing his foreign policy as one of decisive action rather than diplomatic patience.
"I do not believe in letting problems fester," Trump told 193 assembled world leaders. "They only become harder to solve. So while others have talked, I have acted. While others have spoken of peace, I have made peace. While others have ignored threats, I have confronted them. While others have talked of courage, America has shown it." Trump used his address to issue a stark warning to Iran, saying he could either reach a deal allowing the country to rebuild or "annihilate the Islamic Republic," while also calling for "fundamental change" in Cuba.
Trump said the United States had confronted threats that previous administrations had allowed to persist and portrayed his foreign policy as one based on military strength, economic pressure and direct action.
The most striking moment of the speech came when Trump laid out what he described as a binary choice facing Iran following the war he launched against the country earlier this year. Touting the results of "Operation Epic Fury," he claimed that Iran's navy, air force, radar systems and missile manufacturing capacity had been effectively destroyed, while inflation in the country had surged past 300%.
He said a resolution was likely after the U.S. midterm elections, claiming - despite not being on the ballot himself - that Iranian officials were "waiting to see how I do in the midterm election." He added: "I gave absolutely no credence and will not give credence to the election when it comes to Iran. The only thing that does matter is that Iran will never have a nuclear weapon." Trump claimed that U.S. military operations had destroyed Iran's nuclear programme and significantly damaged its military capabilities, including its navy, air force, radar systems, air-defence equipment and missile and drone manufacturing capacity.He added:
"I gave absolutely no credence and will not give credence to the election when it comes to Iran. The only thing that does matter is that Iran will never have a nuclear weapon." Trump described Iran as the "number one sponsor of terror" during his address, accusing the Iranian regime of decades of bloodshed and mass killings and of spreading "death and carnage and chaos" across West Asia and beyond. He said Iran was once the "bully of the Middle East" but is now "the bully no more." Trump reiterated that Tehran would never be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon, saying the U.S. military had targeted and damaged Iran's nuclear infrastructure during a previous operation.
Trump also called on countries around the world to join the United States in imposing economic pressure on Iran."We must be equally united in continuing to apply pressure," he said. "I call on all nations to join us in enforcing complete economic isolation of Iran until it stops its attacks on commercial ships, abandons its nuclear ambitions and ceases its support for terrorism," Trump said. "The terror regime behaves the way it does not because it is strong and confident, but because it is weak and desperate." Trump also said the U.S. Navy had escorted more than 1 billion barrels of oil out of the Strait of Hormuz since the conflict began, and said new munitions plants were under construction domestically to accelerate weapons production for the United States and its allies. But Trump said he faced a major decision over Iran. "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?" he said.
He added that he believed a deal could eventually be reached, while stressing that Iran would not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons. Trump also called on countries to join the United States in imposing "complete economic isolation of Iran" until Tehran stops attacks on commercial shipping, abandons its nuclear ambitions and ends its support for what he described as terrorism. Turning to the Western Hemisphere, Trump declared that his administration was pursuing "a fundamental change in the situation in Cuba," asserting that the communist government was under unprecedented pressure.
"My administration is also seeking a fundamental change in the situation in Cuba, where the communist regime is under great pressure, the biggest pressure they've ever been under," Trump said. "It's an absolutely failed state. It's failing." Trump defended the U.S. military raid that, according to his account, led to the arrest of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and the subsequent oil agreement with his successor, Delcy Rodríguez, which he described as the largest oil deal in history, involving 65 billion barrels. "Our actions in Venezuela are proof that the United States will no longer permit threats to America to gain a foothold anywhere in the Western Hemisphere, and if necessary, we will use our unmatched military might to secure the vital national interests of the United States," Trump said.
He also defended controversial drone strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific, comparing the cartels to ISIS. "They're enemies at war with civilization, using murder, rape, torture, and extortion as instruments of terror," he said. "Like ISIS, they should be killed, exiled or detained as enemy combatants without the possibility of release, which is what we're doing." Trump also highlighted what he described as achievements at home, including economic growth, tax cuts, investment, immigration enforcement and reductions in crime. "Before I took office, we had the worst and most dangerous border on earth, and now we have the most secure border in American history," he said, claiming that "zero illegal aliens" had been admitted to the United States in the previous 16 months. He said U.S. stock markets had recorded 80 all-time highs over the previous 12 months and claimed that his administration had secured commitments for "$21 trillion in new investments" from around the world.
Trump also pointed to U.S. military spending, saying the country had invested more in its military over the previous 12 months than ever before and that spending during his current term would reach "$1.5 trillion." On Gaza, Trump said the war had been brought to an end and claimed that all remaining hostages had been brought home, while thanking countries that had contributed money, troops, police and training for relief and stabilization efforts. He said nearly 30 countries had joined the Board of Peace, which he said he was honored to chair, and praised countries including Indonesia, Morocco, Egypt and Jordan for their contributions.
Trump also claimed that his administration had helped settle eight conflicts, naming Cambodia-Thailand, Kosovo-Serbia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo-Rwanda, Pakistan-India, Armenia-Azerbaijan and the Gaza conflict among them. On Ukraine, Trump said the United States was working with the leaders of Russia and Ukraine and declared: "We will get that one done. It's going to happen." Trump also invoked the phrase "To the victor belong the spoils" while discussing Venezuela and an oil agreement that he said would benefit both countries. He concluded his address by portraying the United States as stronger and more influential, saying: "America is rising. Our nation is growing. Our power is expanding. Our country is doing better than ever before. And our future is very, very bright."
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