Trump Warns Iran of ‘Obliteration’ if It Refuses Talks

Trump Presses Iran in UN General Assembly Speech

Dismisses Concerns Over US Munitions Stockpiles

President Donald Trump warned Iran it could face “obliteration” if it refuses to negotiate, and called on the international community to help keep Tehran economically isolated until it abandons its nuclear ambitions and attacks on commercial shipping.

Trump delivered the warning in a keynote address to the United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York on Sept. 22. He said Iran faces a “major decision,” casting the choice as one between rebuilding into a greater nation or being driven into ruin, with no chance of survival, future prosperity or hope for future generations.

He also urged other countries to join the pressure campaign. The US and its partners must remain equally united in maintaining pressure, Trump said, calling for comprehensive economic isolation until Iran halts attacks on commercial vessels, its nuclear ambitions and support for terrorism.

Trump also reaffirmed that the US would “never tolerate” Iran possessing nuclear weapons. He argued that if Tehran had succeeded in becoming a nuclear-armed state, the regime would have continued spreading terrorism and death while threatening to use nuclear weapons against any attempt to stop it. He used that point to underscore Washington’s claim that its military action against Iran was intended to prevent the country from acquiring nuclear arms. As the speech turned more hard-line, the Iranian delegation walked out of the General Assembly hall before it ended.

Trump also pushed back on concerns that the prolonged war with Iran has sharply depleted US ammunition stockpiles. “Cowards and traitors would like to say that America is running out of ammunition, but that is not true,” he said. “We have more ammunition than anyone can imagine, and we are producing it at an unprecedented scale.”

On the war in Ukraine, Trump said an early end to the conflict was possible. The US is working closely with the Russian and Ukrainian leadership, he said, adding that the issue would be resolved much faster than people think. Before the speech, when reporters asked what message he had for Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump replied: “End the war.”

Oh Se-song, Hankyung.com reporter sesung@hankyung.com