Mideast turmoil to dominate UN gathering of world leaders

UNITED NATIONS

U.N. chief Antonio Guterres speaks during the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly in 2024.

As conflicts rage in Iran and Yemen and concerns mount over the security of two key waterways, the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandeb, world leaders descend on the U.N. in New York from Sept. 22 for the world’s signature diplomatic event.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s war against Iran and its worldwide fallout are expected to dominate this year’s United Nations General Assembly High-level Week.

Eyes will be on a Sept. 22 summit hosted by Trump with the participation of the Gulf leaders.

The meeting will focus on U.S. ideas for a postwar strategy, with the Trump administration working on a broader “day-after” plan expected to be finalized after the U.S. midterm elections in November.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is also expected to address the U.N. General Assembly on Sept. 22. Erdoğan will also meet Trump on the sidelines of the event.

“When we see the Russia-Ukraine war, and when we see the whole Middle East, every day things get a little bit worse,” said U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres ahead of the gathering.

“There is no improvement anywhere, and when things evolve in a way that every day things get a little bit worse, we are at a serious risk of an explosion.”

When Trump spoke at the U.N. a year ago, he presented the U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities as a major success, declaring that the attacks had “totally obliterated everything” and claiming they had helped pave the way for peace between Israel and Iran.

Six months into the latest U.S.-Iran war, however, those claims are being viewed with far greater skepticism by the international community.

While Iran has suffered significant military and economic setbacks, it has continued to challenge Washington by restricting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

At the same time, Iran-aligned Houthi forces in Yemen have rapidly expanded their presence along the Red Sea coast, advancing toward the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Their gains have opened up a second threat to a crucial global shipping route and contributed to higher energy prices.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration has approved visas for top Iranian officials, including the president and foreign minister, to attend the U.N. General Assembly high-level meeting in New York.

The State Department said on Sept. 17 that it had approved visas for Iran’s “core delegation,” includes President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, from a sputtering Gaza peace process to Israel’s expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank, will once again be among the divisive issues facing world leaders.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to attend for a lightning visit, after New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani admitted he was unable to execute an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against him.

The Trump administration has denied U.S. visas to Mahmoud Abbas and other Palestinian leaders for a second year.