Trump Tells UN General Assembly Iran Must Deal After Midterms or Face Annihilation, Defends Seven-Month War as Tehran's Pezeshkian Arrives in New York Calling for Global Trust

President Donald Trump addressed the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly on September 22, 2026, defending his decision to launch war against Iran and warning Tehran faces a choice between making a deal after November midterm elections or being annihilated. Trump accused Iran of deliberately stalling negotiations to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the conflict until after the U.S. midterm vote, saying the United States and Iran will get it done one way or the other. The president opened his remarks by arguing that while other leaders speak of peace, he is someone who has made peace, and dismissed Pentagon inspector general findings of strategic munitions shortfalls by claiming the U.S. has more munitions than it could ever possibly think of using. The speech came as Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in New York the same day to address the assembly, calling on the world to become aware of oppressive behaviors in the region and demanding an assembly with the slogan of trust should restore trust to the world and end war and bloodshed. The parallel addresses mark the first time both leaders have spoken at the UN since the U.S.-Iran war began in late February 2026 with joint U.S.-Israeli strikes that killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and targeted nuclear facilities, triggering Iranian closure of the Strait of Hormuz and a conflict now in its eighth month. Trump's remarks also highlighted First Lady Melania Trump's efforts to reunite Ukrainian and Russian children displaced by the Russia-Ukraine war, and he is scheduled to meet British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, and Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodriguez on the sidelines. The UN Human Rights Council found reasonable grounds to believe the U.S. committed war crimes during indiscriminate attacks against an Iranian school and residential area in February, adding tension to Trump's appearance before the global body. Pezeshkian's delegation,