UNGA: Gaza and Iran dominate agenda on Sept 23, 2026

1. UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY OPENS. The 81st UN General Assembly general debate opened on Sept 22 in New York, where Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an end to wars in Ukraine, the Middle East and Sudan, warning that Israeli settler violence and settlement expansion in the West Bank 'raise the specter of ethnic cleansing.' His remarks highlighted the threat to the two-state solution, setting the tone for high-level discussions.

2. INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE OVER GAZA. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged the international community to increase pressure on Israel to rebuild Gaza; foreign ministers of eight Arab and Muslim states — Egypt, Qatar, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Türkiye, Pakistan and Indonesia — jointly demanded Israel fulfill its phase-one commitments and move to phase two of the peace plan, including disarmament and full Israeli troop withdrawal. The UK, France and Canada also voiced concerns about the two-state solution. Israel has not officially commented on these calls.

3. US-IRAN TENSIONS AND TALKS. President Donald Trump told the UNGA he will 'never allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon,' threatening annihilation if no deal is reached after the Nov 3 midterm elections; the Iranian delegation walked out after 10 minutes. Yet a three-hour meeting between US and Iranian delegations in New York was described as 'very good.' Iranian officials said they could reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days if the US eases military pressure. The mixed signals could affect global energy security.

4. EU EXTENDS RUSSIA SANCTIONS. The EU Council extended sanctions on more than 3,000 Russian individuals and entities for 36 months until Sept 22, 2029, including travel bans and asset freezes. However, Bloomberg reported a preliminary EU agreement to lift sanctions on Russian billionaires Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman, while EU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis acknowledged growing 'fatigue' over sanctions. This reflects internal divisions within the EU on policy toward Russia.

5. YEMEN: AIRSTRIKES KILL 17. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea accused Saudi Arabia of carrying out 19 airstrikes in 24 hours on Taiz, Al-Jawf and Marib, killing at least 17 and wounding 11, including nine detainees at a prison in Al-Hazm. The casualty figures could not be independently verified, and Saudi Arabia has not commented. The incident raises fears of further escalation and a worsening humanitarian crisis.

6. US MEETS VENEZUELA'S ACTING PRESIDENT. President Trump met Venezuela's acting president Delcy Rodriguez on the UNGA sidelines — their first direct talks since former president Nicolas Maduro's capture. The meeting occurred amid complex bilateral relations, while the UK reaffirmed sovereignty over the Falkland Islands and Argentina disputed the claim. Israeli PM Netanyahu also traded accusations with New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani over 'war crimes' labels.

7. MOROCCO ELECTION AND TURKEY SCHOOL SHOOTING. Moroccans voted to elect the 395-member House of Representatives with about 15.8 million registered voters; a student opened fire outside a high school in Manisa, Turkey, wounding 8–11 people before being captured. Both events drew attention to domestic politics and school security.

Điều cần theo dõi hôm nay: Meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the UNGA sidelines.

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