‘Adamant’ Trump to chair Security Council meeting on Iran

 Trump is “very adamant” that Iran must “fall in line with international order,” Haley stated.

By Batya Jerenberg, World Israel News

US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley announced Tuesday that President Donald Trump will chair a Security Council session on Iran on Sept. 26 that will stress the need for the Islamic Republic to “fall in line with international order” and the urgency of the situation.

The United States is currently holding the presidency of the Council, which rotates on a monthly basis between its 15 members.

Haley has consistently but unsuccessfully called out Iran’s support of international terrorism and hegemonic ambitions in the international forum, and now it will be the president’s turn to try and convince member states that due to its problematic behavior, tough action should and can be taken against Tehran.

“[President Trump] is calling the meeting to address Iran’s violations of international law and the general instability Iran sows throughout the entire Middle East region,” she said, as he is “very adamant” that Iran must act within the norms of every other country.

“We continue to see them engage in things that are not helpful, whether it’s in Lebanon, whether it’s in Yemen, or…Syria,” Haley said, noting three states where Iran’s terror proxies are part of the government (Lebanon), trying to take over the country (Yemen), or becoming so entrenched that it might become difficult to tell who is running the regime (Syria).

Smiling slightly, the  diplomat added that the subject matter might make certain Council members “uncomfortable,” but “when we talk about things that are uncomfortable in the Security Council, good things happen.”

UNRWA ‘is not serving Palestinians’

Haley also discussed the withdrawal of funding to UNRWA, stressing that this did not mean the United States was cutting aid to the Palestinians.

“And there’s a big difference,” she stated, stressing that the aid agency “is not serving Palestinians. It is a political arm that claims to serve Palestinians.”

The United States has been demanding reform in the organization for two years, but to no avail, she added.

Warning to Assad not to use chemical weapons

Haley called the situation in Syria “tragic,” but while openly acknowledging that the regime could finish the job of retaking the country – which implied that the United States would not get involved — she also made it clear that Assad must not use chemical weapons to achieve his goal.

“We’re not going to fall for it. If there are chemical weapons that are used, we know exactly who’s gonna use them,” she said.