NEW YORK — President Donald Trump told the U.N. General Assembly in New York that he had a decision to make on Iran: strike a deal with Iran or “annihilate the Islamic Republic.” His threat, amid a defense of the war launched by the United States and Israel in February, came as allies have begun to openly question whether the United States remains a credible partner.

Trump, the second world leader to speak at the gathering, also celebrated his military operation in Venezuela this year but saved his strongest words for Iran, declaring that its reign as the “the bully of the Middle East” was over.

“I have a big decision to make,” he said. “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?”

He added, “Do I drive them into hell with no chance of survival and no hope of future greatness or generations?”

Earlier, António Guterres, delivering his final address to the assembled world leaders as U.N. secretary-general, opened the gathering by warning that “the fault lines in our world are widening.” He reminded world leaders that they must step up and collaborate to confront the many challenges the world is facing, even as the U.N. faces questions of relevance.

“The world does not need a weaker United Nations,” he said. “It needs a U.N. strong enough to face the world as it is — and determined enough to build the world as it should be.”

The multiday General Assembly sessions will examine a wide variety of topics, including climate change, threats posed by AI, the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, and a possible two-state solution for Israel and Palestinians.

Much of midtown Manhattan, home to the U.N. headquarters, is expected to be gridlocked all week. Police and security presence are enhanced as hundreds of motorcades carrying heads of state and high-ranking officials move among hotels, U.N. buildings and meetings.

Here’s what else to expect:

— Notable speeches: Among the most closely watched addresses will be that of Emmanuel Macron of France, who is in the final year of his presidency. King Abdullah II of Jordan, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey and Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the emir of Qatar, are also expected to speak.

— Trump meetings: The president will meet with a string of global leaders on the sidelines of the gathering Tuesday, including Prime Minister Andy Burnham of Britain, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi of Japan and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine. According to the White House, Trump will also sign a security agreement on Greenland’s future and attend a session with Persian Gulf leaders.

— Ukraine: European foreign ministers will also meet to discuss the war and food security before Zelenskyy’s speech Wednesday.

— Middle East: France, Britain and Canada will host a meeting on a two-state solution for Israel and Palestinians, a smaller, more low-key follow-up on last year’s spotlight conference on the issue.

— U.N. leadership search: The global body is searching for its next leader, who will take the helm in January after Guterres steps down in December. Seven candidates are vying for the role, but no clear front-runner has emerged, diplomats said.

— Absent leaders: A notable number of world leaders will not attend the General Assembly. One is Xi Jinping, China’s leader, who is scheduled to travel to Washington to see Trump on Thursday, and their meeting is expected to overshadow the speeches at the Assembly. Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India and President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa will also not attend.

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This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

By Farnaz Fassihi, Zolan Kanno-Youngs and David E. Sanger/Dave Snaders
c. 2026 The New York Times Company