President Trump delivered a forceful address to the United Nations General Assembly Tuesday, telling world diplomats he now faces a “big decision” over whether to pursue a deal with Iran or move to “annihilate” the regime entirely.
Trump used his remarks to detail what he described as decades of atrocities linked to Iran, including the recent violent crackdown on anti-regime protesters inside the country.
“Just imagine such a vile regime were ever empowered to carry out large-scale terror attacks from behind a nuclear shield. This was the reality we had to confront — a reality that far too many preferred to ignore,” Trump told the assembly. “They all ignored it. Many presidents and many others just wanted to ignore it. They were unwilling to do anything about it, but they knew the problem.”
Trump said he had given Iran every opportunity to reach a diplomatic agreement before taking military action, which he credited with devastating Iran’s military capabilities.
“After giving Iran every chance for a deal, I took action to ensure that neither the United States nor any nation in this hall would ever have to face such a nightmare, such a catastrophic problem,” Trump said. “As a result of Operation Epic Fury, all 159 ships of their navy are now lying at the bottom of the sea. 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. The only thing that isn’t gone is inflation, which is destroying their country and is now well over 300 percent.”
The president said Iran violated an earlier ceasefire meant to allow for nuclear negotiations by launching terrorist attacks against civilian shipping vessels belonging to other nations. He thanked the UN Security Council for passing a resolution condemning the attacks, noting it received more co-sponsors than any Security Council resolution in history.
Trump also touted the U.S. Navy’s role in protecting oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, saying the Navy has escorted more than 1 billion barrels of oil through the vital waterway, with dozens of ships moving through daily, more than at any point since the war began.
Turning to the central question of his address, Trump laid out the stark choice ahead.
“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? Do I drive them into hell, with no chance of survival and no hope of future greatness for generations?” Trump said.
Despite the ominous framing, Trump expressed optimism that a deal would ultimately be reached, suggesting Iran was waiting to see the outcome of the upcoming midterm elections. He clarified that while he would be actively involved in helping Republicans in the midterms, he himself would not be on the ballot, noting he had already won his own election in a landslide and would remain in office for the next two and a half years.
[READ MORE: Stallone Says He Told Trump Hollywood Envoy Assignment Was ‘Impossible’]
