UN General Assembly

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian addressed the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, laying out what Tehran described as its red lines on nuclear weapons, Israel and regional security. His speech comes amid ongoing tensions over Iran's nuclear programme and the conflict with Israel, drawing wide attention and debate online.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has declared that Iran 'will never seek to build a nuclear bomb', remarks made ahead of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly. The statement is drawing wide attention as Tehran's nuclear program remains a central point of tension with Western powers, and observers watch whether diplomacy at the UN will ease standoff over Iran's atomic activities.

Nearly every world leader is gathering in New York for the annual UN General Assembly, where heads of state deliver addresses and hold diplomatic meetings on the sidelines. The BBC explains what draws so many leaders to the city at once and why the week matters for global diplomacy.

President Trump spoke before world leaders at the United Nations summit, delivering an address to the General Assembly. The speech drew wide international attention as audiences and commentators reacted to his remarks on the global stage. Details of the speech's content and the responses from other leaders are still emerging.

The UN General Assembly's annual general debate has reached its fifth day, with world leaders continuing to address the assembly in New York. The general debate is the yearly forum where heads of state and government set out their countries' positions on global issues. UN News is providing ongoing coverage of the speeches as the high-level week of international diplomacy proceeds.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a full address to the UN General Assembly in New York, with the complete speech broadcast live and drawing large audiences. The remarks come amid ongoing international debate over Israel's conduct in Gaza and its relations with global powers. Many delegates and observers have focused on how world leaders responded to his appearance and message at the assembly.

Donald Trump and other world leaders are delivering addresses at the United Nations General Assembly's 2026 session, with speeches broadcast live worldwide. The gathering is drawing broad attention as leaders use the annual forum to lay out their foreign policy positions and respond to ongoing international crises. Viewers are following the full speeches as they are streamed.

The annual UN General Assembly gathering opens in New York, with heads of state and government from around the world arriving for a week of speeches and bilateral meetings. It is widely described as the biggest event in world diplomacy, offering a stage for addresses on conflicts, climate and global cooperation, though concrete outcomes often depend on side negotiations rather than the podium.

Iran's president addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York, and CNN offered its first reactions to the speech. Coverage focused on how the address lands amid heightened tensions over Iran's nuclear program and regional conflicts, with analysts weighing Tehran's messaging to the international community.

China addressed the United Nations General Assembly with a call to 'safeguard the postwar order,' positioning itself as a defender of the international framework established after World War Two. The appeal comes amid ongoing tensions with Western powers, which Beijing often accuses of undermining the UN-centred system. The statement frames China as a champion of multilateralism and sovereignty on the world stage.

The UN General Assembly's 2026 session in New York has drawn international attention, with a week of speeches and side meetings offering a snapshot of the state of global diplomacy. Coverage highlights what the gathering revealed about current geopolitical alignments and the major issues dominating debate among world leaders this year.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used his address to the United Nations General Assembly to denounce New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, tying his criticism to broader attacks on political opponents and critics of Israel's policies. The remarks drew immediate attention online, with commentators debating why a foreign leader was weighing in on a New York municipal race and what it signals about the polarization around the Gaza war.

Donald Trump delivered a speech to the United Nations General Assembly that commentators describe as a stark contrast with addresses by previous presidents. NPR's opinion piece argues his tone and approach diverged sharply from the tradition of past US leaders at the world body. The speech is drawing attention for how differently Trump frames America's role on the global stage.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the UN General Assembly, with observers noting he emphasised Israel's military achievements rather than its peace efforts in his remarks. The speech drew attention to Israel's strategic posture amid ongoing regional tensions, with commentators weighing what the emphasis signals about the government's priorities on the international stage.

At the UN General Assembly's 81st session, Niger used its address to thank Algeria, Sweden highlighted its commitment to women's rights, and China spoke on the situations in Gaza and Cuba. The speeches reflect how smaller and major powers alike are using the annual gathering to press regional loyalties and positions on longstanding flashpoints, including the war in Gaza and the US embargo on Cuba.

Massad Boulos, a senior US adviser on Africa, said Washington's move to block Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan from attending the UN General Assembly is part of broader American efforts to end Sudan's devastating war between the army and the Rapid Support Forces. The decision to deny entry signals mounting US pressure on Sudan's warring parties as international frustration grows over the humanitarian crisis.

Iceland's Foreign Minister Katrín Gunnarsdóttir delivered a pointed speech at the United Nations, saying moral cowards are those who refuse to sit down and negotiate a just and lasting peace, in a clear jab at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the war in Gaza. The remarks circulated widely online, with commenters applauding her willingness to confront Israel's leadership directly at the General Assembly.

Iran has signalled openness to talks with the United States over the Strait of Hormuz as both nations' presidents prepare to attend the UN General Assembly in New York. Donald Trump and Masoud Pezeshkian are due at the same gathering for the first time since the US launched 'Operation Epic Fury', and observers are watching for any direct or indirect contact between the two leaders on the margins of the assembly.

Global diplomacy dominated the past week, with the UN General Assembly in session in New York and Chinese President Xi Jinping travelling to the United States for high-stakes talks with American leaders. The meetings put relations between Washington and Beijing, along with multilateral cooperation at the UN, at the centre of international attention and commentary.

Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly, India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar warned that India will exercise its right to defend itself against terrorism. The remarks underline India's long-standing position that it holds states harbouring terrorist groups accountable, a message aimed squarely at Pakistan amid ongoing tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

The foreign ministers of Russia and Germany met in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, in their first talks since 2022, according to Reuters. Representatives of both sides said they discussed bilateral relations and the war in Ukraine. The meeting marks the first high-level diplomatic contact between Moscow and Berlin since Russia's full-scale invasion, drawing attention to whether it signals any thaw or shift in European diplomacy toward Russia.

The foreign ministers of Russia and Germany met in New York on Saturday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, in the first meeting at that level since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The talks mark a rare diplomatic contact between Moscow and a major European power and are drawing attention for what they may signal about the state of relations between Russia and the West.

UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves is facing difficult budget decisions as the Iran conflict drives economic pressures at home. At the UN General Assembly, Chinese Vice President Han Zheng delivered a blunt address rejecting unilateral military action and calling for peace in the conflict, adding international diplomatic weight to the debate over the war's costs.

The UN General Assembly's annual general debate has continued into its fourth day, with world leaders delivering speeches at UN headquarters in New York. The event draws global attention each September as heads of state and government set out their foreign policy priorities before the assembled international community.

World leaders, including Iran's representative, are delivering speeches on the second day of the 2026 UN General Assembly in New York, with proceedings carried live by news outlets. The annual gathering draws global attention as leaders set out their positions on major international issues. Audiences are following the addresses closely, with hundreds of thousands engaging with the live coverage as speeches continue throughout the day.

The United States and European Union have rejected a UN General Assembly initiative for an international pandemic collaboration treaty, according to a report by The Jerusalem Post. The refusal deals a setback to efforts to build a binding global framework for coordinating responses to future pandemics. Details of the reasoning behind the rejection have not been made clear.