Waltz delivers blunt warning to nations defying Iran sanctions, touts Greenland deal
Trump Heads to New York for UNGA, Aims to Tighten Iran Sanctions and Push UN Reform
President Donald J. Trump will arrive in New York this week for the 81st General Assembly, where he is slated to speak on the escalating U.S.‑Iran conflict and the United States’ broader agenda to “make the United Nations great again.” The former president will also meet with Gulf allies to discuss the war’s fallout and the future security of the region.
The trip comes as Washington intensifies economic pressure on Tehran amid the seventh month of the conflict that began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian military sites in February. Trump’s administration has been urging global partners to enforce sanctions and to take a hard line on Iran’s nuclear ambitions, with the president saying the country “cannot and will not have a nuclear weapon.”
Sanctions, shipping routes and a standoff at the Security Council
Trump’s spokesperson, U.N. Ambassador Mike Waltz, told Fox News Digital that the administration wants the international community to “reinforce that message” and to enforce sanctions, adding that “there will be consequences for friend and foe.” The U.S. has cited the collapse of the Iranian economy, the fall in its currency, rising inflation and the naval blockade as evidence that “one way or another, the president has been crystal clear on our goals here that Iran cannot and will not have a nuclear weapon.”
The United Nations Security Council’s vote on September 17, which blocked Russia and China from continuing independent monitoring of sanctions on Iran, further underlines the diplomatic impasse. In the same month, the U.S. paid $725 million toward the U.N.’s regular budget and $102 million for peacekeeping operations, cutting its outstanding debt and averting a loss of voting rights slated for 2027. However, Washington still owes roughly $1.312 billion to the organization.
Reforming the U.N. while keeping it alive
Waltz explained that the Trump administration has pursued a “leaner” U.N. by cutting more than $1 billion in budget expenses, eliminating about 3,000 headquarters positions and reducing peacekeeping forces by roughly 25 percent. “We have the U.N. on a diet,” he said. Despite the push for cuts, he stressed that the United States does not intend to abandon the U.N., adding, “There’s got to be one place in the world where everyone can come together and put diplomacy first and can actually talk. We don’t ever want to see a U.N. in Beijing or Moscow or Brussels.”
The U.S. is also looking to leverage the U.N. for security missions that do not involve American troops. Waltz cited the U.N.‑endorsed Board of Peace and the planned International Stabilization Force in Gaza, which the administration hopes will support a post‑war transition there without deploying U.S. soldiers.
Gulf leaders and a broader security agenda
Trump is expected to meet Gulf leaders during his UN stay, a diplomatic opportunity the administration hopes will clarify the region’s concerns about the war. “The administration wants to hear directly from Gulf partners about their concerns,” Waltz said, noting the importance of a collective discussion on the conflict’s resolution and regional stability.
In parallel, Trump has signed a new security agreement with Denmark and Greenland that expands American military presence in the Arctic and limits adversarial activity on the island. “It took some tough tweets, maybe some tough language,” Waltz explained, highlighting the strategic importance of the melting Arctic and its new shipping routes.
High‑level week and global topics
The 81st General Assembly’s General Debate will run from Tuesday, September 20, through September 28. The U.N. expects about 73 heads of state and 45 heads of government to attend, along with dozens of ministers and vice‑presidents. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will also be in New York from September 20 to 23 to meet foreign counterparts and advance U.S. security and economic priorities.
Beyond Iran, world leaders are slated to address Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the future of Gaza, international security, and the U.N.’s ability to respond to emerging global challenges. Trump’s agenda at the UN reflects a mix of hard‑line pressure on Iran, a push for a more efficient U.N. and a broader effort to secure U.S. interests in a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape.