The only redeeming feature of Trump’s Tuesday UN address was not slamming Russia – other than urging Germany not to buy its oil and natural gas, calling on its government to “immediately change course,” a notion it rejects.
In his General Assembly remarks, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani minced no words, saying
“(u)nlawful unilateral sanctions in themselves constitute a form of economic terrorism and a breach of the ‘Right to Development,’ ” adding:
“The economic war that the United States has initiated under the rubric of new sanctions not only targets the Iranian people but also entails harmful repercussions for the people of other countries, and that war has caused a disruption in the state of global trade.”
“The Iranian people have demonstrated their unwavering resilience during the past forty years despite the difficulties and constraints caused by sanctions, and have shown that they can overcome this difficult phase as well.”
“The multi-millennial history of our country demonstrates that Iran and Iranians have never broken in the face of a storm of events — not even been bowed.”
Rouhani stressed his country’s commitment to world peace and cooperative relations with all other nations, notions the US, NATO, Israel and their imperial partners reject.
“The US understanding of international relations is authoritarian. In its estimation, might makes right,” Rouhani stressed, adding:
“Its understanding of power, not of legal and legitimate authority, is reflected in bullying and imposition.”
“No state and nation can be brought to the negotiating table by force, and if so, what follows is the accumulation in the ‘grapes of wrath’ of those nations, to be reaped later by the oppressors,” he stressed.
In 12 consecutive reports since implementation of the JCPOA, the IAEA affirmed full Iranian compliance.
Straightaway while Obama was still in office, he breached Washington’s Iran nuclear deal international treaty obligations. Trump abrogated them entirely.
Adopted UN Security Council resolutions are binding international law on all member states.
Unanimously adopted SC 2231 (July 2015) affirmed the JCPOA Iran nuclear deal. No nation may legally abrogate it.
Trump’s unilateral pullout made the US more of a pariah state than already – defying the world community, demanding all nations go along with its hegemonic agenda or else.
Longstanding US policy calls for regime change in Iran by whatever means it takes to achieve its objective.
As long as this aim remains unchanged, no amount of diplomacy will soften it. What Iran justifiably calls the “Great Satan” could embroil the entire Middle East and other regions in catastrophic conflict, risking humanity’s survival if things are pushed too far.
On Wednesday, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Abbas Araghchi said
“(w)e have been informed that the European members of Security Council all intend to support the nuclear deal and stress the need for remaining committed to its implementation,” adding:
“I am confident that the Wednesday’s meeting will proceed against Mr. Trump’s wishes, and this will only isolate the US more.”
“(T)here is no prospect” for responsible US actions because the country “has not reached maturity yet.”
On the sidelines of the General Assembly session, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said irresponsible Trump regime policies toward his country risk “total(ly) destr(oying)” four decades of gains in Sino/US relations, adding:
“China and the US can have competition, but they should not view others with a cold war mentality.”
“There are some forces in the US recently frequently smearing China and creating antagonistic sentiment, which has caused serious damage to China-US relations.”
Irreconcilable differences separate the agendas of both nations on trade and other key issues. Resolving them may be unattainable as long as hardliners control Washington’s geopolitical agenda.
The breach between both nations is widening, a dangerous situation politically, economically and potentially militarily.
US recklessness created greater China-Russia unity, together a powerful counterforce against Washington’s hegemonic agenda.
China’s Global Times (GT) slammed the Trump regime, saying it “sacrifices other countries’ interests” to serve its own.
It unilaterally imposes illegal sanctions on other countries, Trump more frequently than his predecessors.
DLT “withdr(ew) from multiple international organizations and agreements, which has resulted in increasing the cost for other countries to maintain the international order and common interests,” said GT.
His regime is “taking advantage of the rest of the world” while claiming otherwise.
“The US maximized its own interests by hegemony, which will objectively promote the inferiority and barbarization of international relations.”
“The ‘America First’ mindset is a negative approach, and the world is seeing this first hand.”
“(U)nilateral…winner-take-all strategy” is how Washington operates, “the opposite to multilateralism and win-win strategy…”
Russia was restrained in commenting on Trump’s Tuesday address because he refrained from unacceptably bashing the country.
Iran and China responded sharply, justifiably criticizing Washington’s dangerous hegemonic agenda.
It risks possible catastrophic global war, a doomsday scenario if launched and waged with nuclear weapons.
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Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at [email protected].
His new book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.”
http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html
Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.
