–President Trump slams Iran, says ‘can’t allow world’s leading terror sponsor to possess world’s most dangerous weapons’
–Iranian president accuses Trump of trying to topple his government
NEW YORK: US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the United States would only give aid to countries that it regarded as allies.
Addressing world leaders at the start of the annual United Nations General Assembly, Trump lashed out at the OPEC oil cartel, China’s trade policies and the International Criminal Court which he vowed the United States would never accept.
“We will examine what is working, what is not working, and whether the countries who receive our dollars and our protection also have our interests at heart,” Trump said in his speech.
“Moving forward, we are only going to give foreign aid to those who respect us and frankly are our friends.”
Moreover, the US president accused members of the OPEC oil cartel of “ripping off” the world as he called for a lowering of fuel prices.
The United States stands ready to export our abundant affordable supply of oil, clean coal, and natural gas,” Trump told the United Nations General Assembly.
“OPEC and OPEC nations are, as usual, ripping off the rest of the world, and I don’t like it. Nobody should like it.”
Furthermore, Trump urged heavy pressure both on Iran and Washington’s trading partners as he offered a robust defence of the US right to go it alone.
‘IRAN DOESN’T RESPECT SOVEREIGN RIGHTS’:
Hours before Iranian President Hassan Rouhani took the same rostrum, Trump denounced Iran’s “corrupt dictatorship” as “chaos, death, and destruction” and doubled down on the US withdrawal of an international agreement on curbing Tehran’s nuclear programme.
“Iran does not respect its neighbours or borders or the sovereign rights of nations,” Trump said and added that the dictatorship was plundering the Iranian people to pay for aggression abroad.
He compared US relations with Iran to what he called improved ties with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, praising him for halting nuclear and missile tests and returning some US remains from the 1950s Korean War. Trump had called Kim a “rocket man” bent on nuclear destruction in his UN speech last year.
This time around, Trump heralded his own diplomacy on North Korea, including a historic summit in June with Kim, saying he has worked to “replace the specter of conflict with a bold and new push for peace”.
With midterm elections in the United States little more than a month away, Trump’s address at times took on the feel of a campaign address as he heralded low unemployment.
Boasting that his team “has achieved more than any administration in the history of our country,” Trump was met with laughter, highly unusual in the solemn General Assembly.
“I didn’t expect that reaction, but that’s okay,” Trump responded.
‘TRUMP TRYING TO TOPPLE IRANIAN GOVT’:
Reacting to Trump’s speech, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani accused him of trying to topple his government.
Pouring cold water on the idea of resuming talks with Washington after its pullout from an international nuclear accord, he said, “It is ironic that the US government does not even conceal its plan for overthrowing the same government it invites to talks.”
“For dialogue to take place, there is no need for a photo opportunity. The two sides can listen to each other right here in this Assembly.”
“I am starting the dialogue right here, and state, in unequivocal terms, that the question of international security is not a toy in american domestic politics,” he said.
