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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has declared that Iran will never seek to build a nuclear bomb, ahead of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly. The pledge, made shortly before his address in New York, is being read as an attempt to ease tensions with Western powers over Iran's nuclear programme and to signal Tehran's position on the international stage.

World leaders are meeting in New York for the UN General Assembly, with the annual gathering focused on ongoing conflicts, economic uncertainty and global security. Discussions around peace efforts for Ukraine are among the prominent topics drawing international attention at this year's session.

Iran and other world leaders are delivering full speeches on the second day of the 2026 UN General Assembly in New York. Live coverage from outlets including the Associated Press is drawing a large global audience, with viewers following statements on conflicts including Ukraine and wider diplomatic tensions as leaders use the annual gathering to set out their positions.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a full address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, with the speech carried live by major outlets including Associated Press. The address drew more than a million engagements, making it one of the most-watched moments of the 2026 General Assembly week, with viewers closely tracking his remarks on Israel's security and foreign policy.

Commentary published by Asharq Al-Awsat and Arab News examines why ceasefire agreements reached in Jeddah between Sudan's warring army and the Rapid Support Forces have repeatedly failed, and how the issue has moved to the diplomatic stage in New York. The pieces argue that successive truces have not held, leaving Sudan's civil war grinding on despite international mediation efforts.

Iran is asking Washington to clarify its position after President Trump rejected a proposed cease-fire, according to a New York Times report citing developments around the Strait of Hormuz. The move signals mounting tension between Tehran and the U.S. administration, with diplomats seeking to understand whether negotiations over the cease-fire proposal can continue or have collapsed entirely.

The UN General Assembly's annual general debate has reached its fifth day in New York, with world leaders continuing to deliver set-piece speeches on global challenges. The marathon session remains the main forum for heads of state and government to set out their foreign policy positions, and UN News is providing a daily takeaway summarising the key moments and statements as the debate winds down.

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.

The UN General Assembly, the largest annual gathering in international diplomacy, begins this week in New York, with world leaders set to deliver speeches and hold sideline meetings. Commentary is focused on what to expect from this year's session, including which leaders attend, the major conflicts and crises on the agenda, and the key addresses to watch.

The United Nations General Assembly's High-level Week is under way in New York, drawing heads of state and government for the annual round of speeches and diplomatic meetings at the world body's headquarters. The event is one of the busiest diplomatic gatherings of the year, with leaders using the podium to address conflicts, climate and global security.

Iran's president addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York, and CNN offered its first reactions to the address. The speech drew broad attention as diplomats and analysts weighed Iran's message to the international community amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East. Commentators on CNN assessed the tone and substance of the remarks shortly after they were delivered.

Saudi Arabia has indicated it could pursue developing nuclear weapons, according to a New York Times report on US-Saudi political discussions. The statement marks a significant shift in the kingdom's public stance on nuclear capability and raises questions about nuclear proliferation in the Middle East, particularly given regional tensions and ongoing negotiations with Washington over security guarantees and civilian nuclear cooperation.

Saudi Arabia has signalled it would be open to developing nuclear weapons, according to reports carried by major US outlets including The New York Times and The Seattle Times. The remarks raise fresh questions about nuclear proliferation in the Middle East and about Riyadh's nuclear ambitions at a time of ongoing regional tensions and talks over normalisation and security guarantees with Washington.

The 2026 UN General Assembly has wrapped up a week of global diplomacy, with a report examining what the sessions and side meetings revealed about the state of international relations. Commentators are weighing the outcomes of the annual gathering, which brings world leaders together in New York to debate conflicts, cooperation and geopolitics.

Sudan's ceasefire agreements, first brokered in Jeddah and later discussed at the UN in New York, have repeatedly collapsed as fighting between the army and the Rapid Support Forces continues. Analysts point to weak enforcement, lack of monitoring, and the parties' unwillingness to compromise as reasons the truces fail, leaving civilians facing a worsening humanitarian crisis.

The United States has rejected a United Nations declaration on preparing for future pandemics, according to The New York Times. The move sets Washington apart from international efforts to strengthen global coordination against future health emergencies, and it has drawn attention to tensions over how far nations should commit to shared pandemic planning and response obligations.

The foreign ministers of Russia and Germany met in New York on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, in the first talks between the two countries at this level since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The meeting marks a notable diplomatic opening between Moscow and a key European power, and observers are watching closely for what it signals about the future of Russia-Europe relations and the war in Ukraine.

Russia's Foreign Minister has addressed the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The annual debate brings world leaders and top diplomats to the UN headquarters each September. The Russian minister's speech is being closely watched for signals of Moscow's position on the war in Ukraine and its wider relations with the West.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used his address to the United Nations General Assembly to attack Zohran Mamdani, the democratic socialist running for New York City mayor. In his speech, Netanyahu cast Mamdani as part of a broader threat he described as radical anti-Israel politics gaining ground in the West. The remarks drew attention because a foreign leader was openly weighing in on an American municipal election, prompting criticism and debate over interference in New York's race.

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.

Iranian leaders are delivering fiery anti-war and anti-US statements while in New York, coinciding with diplomatic engagements between Tehran and Washington. The hardline rhetoric, delivered on US soil during high-level diplomatic week, has drawn wide attention in Bangladeshi media, with reports framing it as a stark contrast between Iran's hostile messaging and ongoing Iran-US diplomacy.

The New York Times reports that as artificial intelligence advances at speed, governments are increasingly failing to keep up, lacking the regulation, expertise and institutional agility to respond. The piece highlights a growing gap between the pace of technological change and the capacity of public authorities to govern it, raising questions about oversight, safety and democratic control of the technology.

On 19 September, The New Yorker published a long investigation into the Israeli side of the Qatargate scandal, placing Benjamin Netanyahu at the centre of it. The report corroborates earlier revelations by French outlet Blast, accusing several people close to Netanyahu of involvement in the affair.

Sudan says it will not bow to 'pressure or blackmail' after the United States declined to grant a visa to army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan for the UN General Assembly in New York. Khartoum's authorities framed the visa denial as an attempt at coercion, deepening a dispute between Washington and Sudan's military leadership as the country's devastating civil war continues.

Climate discussions in New York are being reshaped by two mounting pressures: rising energy costs for households and industry, and the surging electricity demand from artificial intelligence data centres. As negotiators and business leaders weigh decarbonisation goals against affordability and grid reliability, the rapid growth of AI is complicating plans to phase out fossil fuels, forcing climate policy to account for a new wave of power consumption.

A powerful storm has struck the United States, prompting states of emergency in New York and New Jersey. The storm is causing coastal flooding, power outages, transport chaos and the cancellation of public events. Authorities in both states took the emergency measures as conditions worsened along the coast.

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 New York Times examines why China remains wary of international appeals for AI safety regulation. The report suggests Beijing views such calls through strategic and economic lenses, seeing safety frameworks partly as attempts by rivals to slow its technological progress. The piece is prompting discussion about whether meaningful global cooperation on AI governance is possible given US-China competition.

Iran has signalled openness to talks with the United States over the Strait of Hormuz as both Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian prepare to attend the UN General Assembly in New York. It would be the first time the two leaders appear at the same event since Trump launched what he called 'Operation Epic Fury', raising speculation about a possible diplomatic opening between the two governments.

An Ebola outbreak is dominating discussions as world leaders gather in New York for the UN General Assembly. Health officials and governments are facing questions over containment efforts, funding and cross-border preparedness, with the outbreak expected to feature in leaders' speeches and side meetings during the annual gathering.

The Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation briefed the press at UN Headquarters in New York. The appearance came as part of the minister's engagements at the United Nations, where Russia's positions on ongoing international disputes remain under close scrutiny. Journalists and diplomats are following the remarks for signals on Moscow's stance ahead of Security Council discussions.

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.

President Trump has rejected an Iranian cease-fire proposal that would have reopened the Strait of Hormuz, according to The New York Times. The proposal came amid ongoing tensions over the strategic waterway, a critical route for global oil shipments. The rejection signals a continuation of confrontational US-Iran dynamics, with observers watching closely for any further escalation in the region.