Trump assails Iran during UN address

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday defended his controversial decision to unilaterally exit an accord that placed stringent limitations on Tehran's nuclear program.

In his second speech before the UN General Assembly, Trump said Iran's leaders "sow chaos, death and destruction. They do not respect their neighbors, or borders, or the sovereign rights of nations."

"Instead Iran’s leaders plunder the nation’s resources to enrich themselves and to spread mayhem across the Middle East and far beyond," he said.

Trump said Iran's regional neighbors "have paid a heavy toll" for Iran's agenda, which he said has prompted "so many countries in the Middle East strongly supported my decision to withdraw the United States from the horrible 2015 Iran nuclear deal, and reimpose nuclear sanctions."

"The Iran deal was a windfall for Iran's leaders," he said.

Trump was slated to be the General Assembly's second speaker, but was running late to the multilateral gathering, forcing Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno to move up his speech to accommodate the U.S. president's tardiness. Trump spoke third.