At UN, Trump again threatens Iran, but suggests end of war is near

President Donald Trump used his address Tuesday to world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly both to threaten the annihilation of Iran and to suggest the Iranian regime has had enough of a war that is dragging on with no end in sight.“I have a big decision to make. Will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before?” he asked. “Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again?”As Mr. Trump issued his threat, the Iranian delegation stood and walked out, though one reportedly lower-level member remained. While world leaders have used this podium in the past for aggressive language against foes, only Mr. Trump has delivered this level of violent threat, both in his remarks on Tuesday and his address here in 2017, when he made a similar warning to North Korea.This is the third time he has threatened Iran’s destruction. In January, he warned that the United States would wipe it “off the face of this earth,” and in April, as Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz intensified, he posted another warning that “a whole civilization will die tonight.”Despite his rhetoric on Tuesday, Mr. Trump also said he thought Iran and the U.S. could be heading toward a resolution of the war “one way or the other.” But when it comes to an endgame, he suggested the Iranians were buying time, strategically waiting to see how Republicans fared in the upcoming midterm elections.“What they don’t realize is, I am not running,” he said. And in a line that received some applause among his fellow leaders he added: “I will be here for the next 2 1/2 years. I will give no credence to the election when it comes to Iran. It does not even enter my mind.”Meanwhile, suggesting that the White House is actually the party eager to jumpstart stalled negotiations with Iran, CNN reported earlier Tuesday that the president would like a meeting to be arranged with Iranian officials who are in New York for the General Assembly – “if the conditions are right.”Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is expected in New York for the U.N. summit, where he is reportedly planning to “firmly defend” his government’s hard-line positions on the war. His planned arrival is historic in itself – the head of a nation at war with the United States, being on the ground here.In his speech, Mr. Trump also praised America’s projection of power globally. Deepen your worldviewwith Monitor Highlights.Politics with respectGet political stories with respectful analysis.There‘s a world of new ideas in everyBooks newsletter.There‘s more to life, enrich yours withCulture & Learning weekly.Follow humanity‘s discoveries withScience & Nature stories in your inbox.Gain a spiritual perspectivefrom the stories in your inbox.Want to understand the deeper impact of critical events? Learn the Monitor‘s insight.Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads. Apparently seeking to deflect domestic and international concerns about rising gas prices because of the Iran war, he praised the U.S. military’s capture of Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro in January. That led to a deal that has since allowed the U.S. to take control of 65 million barrels of oil reserves from the South American country.“To the victors belong the spoils,” Mr. Trump said, looking out at the sea of world leaders and their national delegations. ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER? LoginReal news can be honest, hopeful, credible, constructive.The Christian Science Monitor was founded in 1908 to lift the standard of journalism and uplift humanity. We aim to “speak the truth in love.” Our goal is not to tell you what to think, but to give you the essential knowledge and understanding to come to your own intelligent conclusions. Join us in this mission by subscribing.