9/18/2018

IRAN/MIDDLE EAST/NUCLEAR/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/UN: “Donald Trump sees next week’s main session of the United Nations General Assembly as a chance to condemn Iran for spreading what he’s called ‘chaos and terror’ through the Middle East. But many key U.S. allies will likely use the global forum to present Trump himself as a threat to world peace. The result could be an unusually combative gathering at an annual forum meant to promote harmony among world leaders…Trump’s expected barbs against Iran in New York also come with political risk — and potential rewards: Talking tough on Tehran will please the president’s Republican base, as well as Israel and some Arab states. But the broader reaction could expose how isolated Trump is on the world stage, especially after he unilaterally quit the Iran nuclear deal this spring…Mindful of the danger, the Trump White House has already dialed back plans to dedicate a session of the U.N. Security Council that Trump himself will chair to the subject of Iran; the meeting will now cover the broader subject of nonproliferation, which could comprise other issues, like North Korea. Officials worried that Trump could appear to be all alone on a Security Council with many members who believe he should not have withdrawn from the nuclear deal.”

Nahal Toosi, David Herszenhorn and Matthew Karnitschnig, “Trump’s tough line on Iran risks backlash at U.N.,” Politico, Sepetember 18, 2018 6:46 pm