Trump blast Iran as ‘corrupt dictatorship’ in UN speech

US President, Donald Trump in his United Nations General Assembly speech on Tuesday blasted Iran as a “corrupt dictatorship” that is plundering its people to pay for aggression abroad, and also use his speech to threaten more sanctions against the country. 

Iran’s leaders sow chaos, death and destruction, Trump told the annual gathering. They do not respect their neighbours or borders or the sovereign rights of nations.

Trump’s speech in the green-marbled UN hall, while relatively low key, was aimed squarely at Iran, which the United States accuses of harbouring nuclear ambitions and fomenting instability in the Middle East through its support for militant groups in Syria, Lebanon and Yemen.

Trump, who said in a Twitter post on Tuesday morning that he had given up hope for a meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani while both were in New York, said he would keep up economic pressure on Tehran to try to force a change in its behaviour.

In May, he withdrew the United States from the 2015 international deal to put curbs on Iran’s nuclear programme in exchange for easing sanctions. 

Foes for decades, Washington and Tehran have been increasingly at odds since May.