NEW YORK - Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday that world security is under threat by some states' "recklessness and disregard" of international values and institutions as world leaders gather in New York for the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly.
"Confronting multilateralism is not a sign of strength. Rather, it is a symptom of the weakness of the intellect. It betrays an inability in understanding a complex and interconnected world," he said.
Rouhani said that it is "unfortunate" that the world is witnessing rulers "who think they can secure their interest better...by fomenting extremist, nationalism and through xenophobic tendencies resembling Nazi desposition."
In his speech, Rouhani also lashed out at US President Donald Trump saying he is seeking an "overthrow" of the Iranian leadership, while calling the unilateral US sanctions as a form of "economic terrorism".
Qatar's leader Sheikh Tamim called on the UN General Assembly on Tuesday to reject "the rule of force" to resolve political and security disputes in the world and the Middle East.
It is the second time that Sheikh Tamim adressed the UN meeting since the Saudi Arabia-led blockade of the Gulf state in 2017, which he said is a "flagrant violation" of international law. In his speech, Tamim said that since the blockade started, it has been revealed that there was a "pre-arranged campaign of incitement" against his country. But he said that during the same period of the blockade, Qatar's economy continued its growth.
Jordan's King Abdullah has called on world leaders to work together to put the Israeli-Palestinian peace process "back on track".
The Jordanian leader said that the "key crisis" in the Middle East is the "long denial of a Palestinian state". "The only path to a comprehensive, lasting peace in the region is a two-state solution," he said, adding that a one-state is an "abandonment" of peace.
French President Emmanuel Macron called Tuesday for "dialogue and multilateralism" on Iran, in a thinly veiled response to Trump's push for tough, US-led sanctions.
The French leader credited the 2015 accord rejected by Trump with curbing the nuclear programme of Iran.
Macron also said uniltateralsim will not work to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. "What can resolve the crisis between Israel and Palestine? Not unilateral initiatives, nor trampling on the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to legitimate peace. There is no credible alternative to the two-state solution."
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called on all parties to support "just and sustainable political solution" in Syria with constructive approach, to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe. Last week, Turkey and Russia reached a deal to establish a demilitarised zone in Syria's Idlib province to prevent bloodshed in the rebel-held territory where nearly three million people live. "Those who equip terrorists with tens of thousands of trucks and cargo planes, load of arms for sake of tactical interests will most definitely feel sorrow in the future," he also said.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has renounced the United Nations Security for "standing idle to the oppression" in Myanmar, Palestine and Bosnia among other nations.
In a speech before the UN on Tuesday, Erdogan said that "those who remained silent on the oppression of the Palestinians" are only encouraging the oppressors.
"Even if the whole world turns its back, Turkey will continue to be on the side of the oppressed Palestinians," he said. (FA)
