President Donald Trump revealed a major decision he is considering in the conflict with Iran during his Sept. 22 address to the United Nations General Assembly.
In his speech, Trump reiterated his administration’s position that Iran cannot be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon and outlined how the U.S. military has targeted Iran’s navy, missile capabilities, and nuclear development.
“But now I have a big decision to make: 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?” Trump asked on Tuesday.
“Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again? Do I drive them into hell with no chance of survival and no hope of future greatness or generations?”
The president detailed the two options he is considering as the Iranian delegation at the United Nations watched his speech on Tuesday.
Trump told the United Nations that he believes the United States and Iran will make a deal shortly after the upcoming midterm election.
The president suggested Tehran was waiting to see the election outcome before making a deal with his administration.
However, Trump dismissed consideration of the midterm elections in his administration’s efforts to negotiate with Iran.
He noted that while the Republican Party has candidates running in the midterms, he is no longer running for office himself.
“I gave absolutely no credence and will not give credence to the election when it comes to Iran. It doesn’t even enter my mind,” Trump said.
“The only thing that does is that Iran will never have a nuclear weapon.”
After highlighting the threat of Iran, Trump urged all nations to join the United States in enforcing the “complete economic isolation” of Tehran until the regime ceased its attacks on commercial shipping, ended its support of terrorist groups, and abandoned its nuclear ambitions.
“The terrorist regime is behaving badly, not because they are strong and confident, but because they are weak and desperate,” Trump told the United Nations General Assembly.
“If we stand united, we will soon see a world free of the last 51-year menace of Iranian terror, and oil prices will come plummeting down even lower than they were at the start of the conflict.”