US will ‘destroy’ N. Korea, rip up Iran pact: Trump

United Nations : President Donald Trump warned “Rocket Man” Kim Jong-Un is on a “suicide mission” and threatened to “totally destroy” North Korea if it targets the United States or its allies, in a bellicose maiden address to the UN yesterday.

Appearing for the first time before the 193-member organization that emerged from the ashes of World War II, Trump boasted of America’s military strength, signalled he was ready to rip up a nuclear accord with the “murderous regime” in Tehran, and berated US foes in Pyongyang, Venezuela, Syria and Cuba.

“The United States has great strength and patience,” Trump said --  as he followed in the footsteps of US presidents from Harry Truman to Barack Obama - “but if it is forced to defend itself or its allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea,” he warned. “Rocket Man is on a suicide mission for himself and for his regime,” he said, using his new nickname for the North Korean leader. “The United States is ready, willing and able, but hopefully this will not be necessary.”

In a veiled criticism of China and Russia, who were barely mentioned in the rest of the speech, Trump said any trade with North Korea was morally questionable. Trump pilloried Iran as a corrupt “rogue state” and threatened to rip up the landmark international deal struck in 2015 to curb Tehran’s nuclear program. “Frankly, that deal is an embarrassment to the US, and I don’t think you’ve heard the last of it,” Trump told the UN General Assembly.

“Believe me. It is time for the entire world to join us in demanding that Iran’s government end its pursuit of death and destruction.” But, the US leader added, the greatest threat to the Tehran regime was not the American military, but the Iranian people who want change. 

The packed hall greeted Trump’s tough rhetoric and calls for individual nation states -- rather than supranational bodies -- to form the basis of the global order with periods of silence punctuated by polite applause during his 42 minutes remarks.