Members of Iran’s delegation walked out of the United Nations General Assembly during US President Donald Trump’s address on September 22, 2026, after he warned that Washington could take further action against Iran if a settlement over the ongoing conflict is not reached.
The walkout occurred as Trump was discussing Iran’s nuclear programme and defending the US-Israeli military campaign against Tehran. Reuters reported that most of Iran’s delegation left the chamber during that section of the speech, while the confrontation highlighted the sharp diplomatic divide between Washington and Tehran.
The incident came as the 81st UN General Assembly opened in New York with the Iran conflict among the major issues dominating discussions by world leaders.
Iranian delegates leave during Trump’s Iran remarks
The Iranian delegation walked out as Trump turned to the conflict with Iran and warned that the United States could inflict severe damage on the country if a diplomatic settlement was not reached.
Trump defended the US military campaign and said Washington’s objective was to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. Reuters reported that he threatened to “annihilate” Iran if an agreement could not be reached, while also saying he believed a settlement remained possible.
The walkout was therefore a direct diplomatic reaction to remarks made during the speech.
The Iranian representatives did not leave the United Nations or abandon the General Assembly. Iran’s delegation remained involved in the wider UN proceedings, where Iranian officials continued presenting Tehran’s position on the conflict and engaging in diplomacy.
Trump defends military campaign
Trump used much of his UN address to defend the decision by the United States and Israel to launch military operations against Iran.
He argued that military action was necessary because of what his administration described as the threat posed by Iran’s nuclear programme.
The White House similarly presented the speech as a defence of Trump’s use of military power and his approach to national security. Reuters reported that Trump’s 37-minute address covered Iran, Ukraine, Cuba, Venezuela, Greenland, artificial intelligence and other foreign-policy issues.
Trump also criticised international institutions and argued that the United States should retain freedom to act in defence of its interests.
Nuclear programme remains at centre of dispute
Iran’s nuclear programme remains one of the principal issues separating Washington and Tehran.
Trump has repeatedly said that Iran must not obtain a nuclear weapon and has linked the US military campaign to that objective. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also said before Trump’s speech that any US-Iran dialogue would need to address the possibility of Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Iran has rejected the US justification for the military campaign.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has argued that US military action has undermined diplomacy and questioned the credibility of negotiations while attacks continue. Associated Press reported that Pezeshkian was in New York for the General Assembly and had criticised the US position during the diplomatic gathering.
The disagreement over the nuclear programme therefore remains tied to the wider conflict rather than being treated as a separate diplomatic issue.
Trump leaves possibility of negotiations open
Despite the threatening language in his speech, Trump also said a diplomatic settlement with Iran could still be reached.
Later on September 22, he said US and Iranian officials had met, although he provided few details about the discussions. Associated Press reported that the meeting occurred shortly after Trump’s UN speech.
The development created an unusual contrast between the public rhetoric at the General Assembly and continuing contacts behind the scenes.
Iran has also indicated that its delegation in New York has authority to pursue diplomatic discussions.
A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran had submitted a proposal through mediators on September 16 and that Iran could consider reopening the Strait of Hormuz if Washington reduced military pressure and lifted its blockade of Iranian ports.
No final US-Iran agreement had been announced as of September 22.
Strait of Hormuz adds pressure to diplomacy
The dispute has consequences beyond US-Iran relations because of the importance of the Strait of Hormuz to international energy markets.
The waterway is a major route for global oil shipments, and disruptions have contributed to higher energy-market uncertainty.
Iran’s offer to reopen the strait under specified conditions has therefore become part of the wider diplomatic discussion.
Reuters reported that increased oil flows through the waterway and signals of possible diplomacy had affected oil prices, although Trump’s comments about the timing of a potential agreement also contributed to renewed market uncertainty.
The situation is particularly relevant to oil-producing countries because prolonged disruption could affect crude prices, shipping costs and inflation.
Other countries also criticised the conflict
The Iranian walkout occurred during a broader General Assembly session in which governments were expressing differing views about conflicts in the Middle East.
Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani called for diplomacy and warned that the Gulf had entered a dangerous period amid the Iran conflict.
Other leaders also addressed the Gaza conflict, the war in Ukraine and the wider state of international security.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for an end to ongoing wars and greater international cooperation in his final General Assembly opening address before leaving office at the end of 2026.
The competing positions demonstrated the difficulties facing the international community as governments debate how to respond to multiple simultaneous conflicts.
Iran continues diplomatic engagement at the UN
Although members of the Iranian delegation walked out of Trump’s speech, Iranian officials continued participating in the wider General Assembly.
President Pezeshkian was in New York for the meeting and used the international gathering to present Iran’s position on the conflict.
Iran has also indicated that its representatives are prepared to pursue negotiations through intermediaries.
Reuters reported that the Iranian delegation had full authority to pursue diplomatic discussions and that Tehran regarded the General Assembly as an opportunity to reopen diplomatic engagement if Washington demonstrated willingness to negotiate.
The walkout therefore did not end Iran’s participation in the diplomatic process.
No agreement announced after the walkout
The confrontation at the General Assembly did not immediately produce a new diplomatic agreement or change the status of the conflict.
Instead, the events of September 22 showed that Washington and Tehran continued to combine hostile public statements with contacts through officials and intermediaries.
Trump continued to threaten further military action while saying that a settlement could still be reached.
Iran continued to reject the US justification for the conflict while signalling willingness to discuss conditions for de-escalation.
What happens next
The next stage of the US-Iran dispute will depend largely on whether the two sides can turn their contacts into negotiations capable of addressing the main disagreements.
The nuclear programme, military operations, sanctions, the Strait of Hormuz and the conditions for ending hostilities remain central issues.
The United Nations provides a venue for both sides to present their positions, but a settlement would ultimately require agreement between the parties involved and any mediators participating in the process.
For now, the Iranian delegation’s walkout has become one of the clearest public demonstrations of the diplomatic tension surrounding Trump’s address.
It also illustrates the contradiction at the centre of the current situation: Washington and Tehran remain sharply divided over the conflict, yet both sides continue to leave some space for diplomatic engagement.
No peace agreement had been announced following the September 22 meetings, and the outcome of the ongoing contacts remained uncertain.
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