Iranian President's First UN General Assembly Speech Strongly Criticizes US Sanctions

"Sanctions Are the United States' New Way of Waging War Against Countries Worldwide"

[Asia Economy International Desk Reporter] Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi, President of Iran, strongly criticized U.S. sanctions in his first speech at the United Nations General Assembly.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

In a virtual speech at the UN General Assembly on the 21st (local time), President Raisi said, "Sanctions are a new way for the United States to wage war against countries around the world."

He continued, "What we see today in the region where we live proves not only the failure of hegemony but also the miserable failure of imposing a Westernized identity."

As an example, President Raisi emphasized, "The United States was expelled without securing an exit from Iraq and Afghanistan." He also criticized former U.S. President Donald Trump and his successor Joe Biden for using slogans such as 'America First' and 'America's Return,' saying, "But the world does not care about these claims."

While pledging engagement with the United States, President Raisi has taken a hardline stance by excluding the possibility of negotiations on issues such as Iran's missile development and support for militias in the Middle East, which the Biden administration seeks to eliminate.

Iran has demanded the lifting of all sanctions against it as a precondition for restoring the nuclear agreement.