Will Quinlan
Connector Contributor
As the United Nations General Assembly convened this week in New York City for its 81st session, the pervading atmosphere on the debate floor was uneasy as world leaders took to the podium to speak. The proceedings so far have been marked by dramatic walkouts, incendiary threats, and an overall attitude of unprecedented hostility between member nations. On the opening day of the high-level U.N. General Debate on Tuesday, Sept. 22, all eyes were on the United States as delegations prepared for President Trump to take the stage.
Notably, this year’s General Assembly is the first in which the host nation is actively at war with the nation of an attending delegation, in this case, Iran. Although hostilities have diminished in recent weeks, no agreement has yet been reached to end the war started by a joint American-Israeli surprise attack on Feb. 28 of this year. Under the 1947 United Nations Headquarters Agreement, the United States is obligated to allow safe passage into the country for all official delegations.
President Trump’s 38-minute speech consisted of further threats of violence against Iran, as well as aggressive rhetoric toward other member nations. “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?” Trump said.
The president went on to accuse Cuba of being “a failed state”, calling the small island nation “a haven of foreign adversaries to threaten America”, and claimed the Cuban government “will fall.” The Cuban delegation walked out in protest as he delivered these remarks. Also speaking on Tuesday was president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who emphasized the importance of preserving Brazilian sovereignty amid allegations of American interference in the upcoming presidential election on Oct. 4.
The leaders of Jordan, Turkey, and Qatar spoke as well, all denouncing Israeli’s actions in Gaza since the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks. Qatar’s Sheikh Tamim said that Palestinians have undergone “a genocide in every sense of the word,” while criticizing member nations for turning a blind eye.
The main event on Wednesday, Sept. 23, was when Iranian president, Masoud Pezeshkian, took to the podium to deliver his first remarks at the U.N. since the beginning of the war, delivering an 18-minute speech denouncing the joint American-Israeli bombing offensives since February, and affirming the rights of Iran to sovereignty and self-defense amid ongoing American efforts to destabilize the Iranian government.
The American delegation walked out at the beginning of Pezeshkian’s speech, as the Iranian president held up photos showing the aftermath of an American tomahawk missile strike that hit an elementary school in Minab, Iran, on Feb. 28: the first day of the war. The attack killed at least 175 schoolchildren and teachers.
A U.N. fact finding team announced last week that there were reasonable grounds to believe that the Minab attack, as well as another strike that hit a sports hall in the city of Lamerd the same day killing at least 21 people, constituted war crimes. Pezeshkian also warned the U.S. against expanding its already costly war, accusing President Trump of a “bullying attitude” and insisting upon the right of Iran to control the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, stating, “It cannot be the case that everyone benefits from the Strait of Hormuz while we are denied access to shipping through this waterway. The permanent deployment of hostile fleets and the expansion of the war will not lead to peace”.
On the morning of Thursday, Sept. 24, and into the afternoon, thousands of protesters gathered in New York City and dozens were arrested outside the U.N. headquarters, as embattled Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu took to the floor. Netanyahu was allowed to speak despite a 2024 International Criminal Court arrest warrant alleging war crimes and crimes against humanity. Delegations from dozens of countries walked out in protest as he took to the stage, with the notable exception of the American one. In a 40-minute address, Netanyahu repeatedly denied allegations of genocide against his government, while defending the joint American-Israeli war against Iran, which has killed thousands of Iranians with no end in sight.
The U.N. General Debate is slated to continue through the weekend, wrapping up on Monday, Sept. 28. Other delegations expected to speak over the weekend include representatives from China, Russia, India, and many more. When asked for comment on the events thus far, UMass Lowell freshman, Jake Burridge, stated, “In my opinion, from what I’ve seen of the U.N. meeting this week, Trump and Netanyahu especially seem to be perfect examples of modern day imperialists.”
