Trump and world leaders converge on UNGA as Iran war, AI and climate top agenda

World leaders have gathered in New York for the United Nations General Assembly, with the nearly seven-month-old US war on Iran, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, artificial intelligence governance and climate change expected to drive the most contentious debates. President Donald Trump is scheduled to address the assembly and defend the Iran war, with prepared remarks indicating he will warn that the United States will no longer permit threats to America to gain a foothold anywhere in the Western Hemisphere.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres, delivering his final address to the assembly, urged world leaders to regulate artificial intelligence, end wars and focus on climate change, warning that global fault lines are widening and that UN institutions are struggling to confront mounting challenges. He pleaded for a world built on interdependence. The assembly has adopted as its theme this year: "Restoring trust, managing transformation: A United Nations that delivers for all."

Trump is also scheduled to hold meetings with Gulf leaders affected by the Iran war during his New York stay. Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva used his opening speech to renew backing for a China-backed peace initiative on Ukraine and warned the United States that Brazil is no one's backyard. Iran's delegation has also arrived in New York, where it intends to present what it describes as a narrative of resilience and diplomacy.