Trump: I Will Chair the UN Security Council Meeting on Iran

Donald Trump, the President of the United States, wrote on his Twitter account on Friday, September 30, that he will chair the upcoming UN Security Council meeting on Iran. Previously, Nikki Haley, the US Ambassador to the United Nations, stated on September 14 that Donald Trump would lead a UN Security Council meeting regarding Iran. Nikki Haley, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council, mentioned that the purpose of this meeting is to discuss how to exert more pressure on Iran due to its violations of UN resolutions. Diplomats say that if the topic of the Security Council meeting is about Iran, the country can request to speak at the Security Council. In this context, the US mission to the United Nations stated two weeks ago that the topic of the Security Council meeting chaired by Donald Trump will focus not only on Iran but also on a broader range of issues, including the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The Washington Post also reported last week that the US mission confirmed in contact with other Security Council member states that Iran will not be the focus of the upcoming Security Council meeting. However, a spokesperson for the US mission to the UN denied any change in the topic of the Security Council meeting chaired by Donald Trump, stating that the United States has not altered the agenda but has broadened it. The broadening of the Security Council meeting's topic will mean that Security Council members will not be obliged to invite Iran to this session. Meanwhile, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is scheduled to speak at the General Assembly of the United Nations on September 25. While it is still unclear whether Iran will be invited to attend this meeting, there is a disagreement in Iran regarding Hassan Rouhani's presence at this session. Some political figures in Iran have called for Mohammad Javad Zarif to attend this meeting. Donald Trump announced on May 8 his decision for Washington to withdraw from the nuclear agreement with Iran, known as the JCPOA, and announced the reinstatement of sanctions on Tehran. US officials say that Iran has not adhered to the spirit of the JCPOA due to its 'destabilizing' actions in the Middle East, including missile activities and support for regional militia groups. The US is seeking negotiations on the JCPOA, Iran's missile program, and its regional activities, while Iranian officials state that Tehran will not negotiate at all regarding the JCPOA and its missile program.