Many of the notable speakers at the United Nations General Assembly took a special interest in the Middle East.
One topic was Afghanistan and the erosion of women’s freedoms in the nation. The Taliban’s ascension to power after the 2021 American exit also saw a gradual removal of different freedoms and abilities for women in the nation.
The issue was highlighted by a Hollywood actress of all people. Meryl Streep spoke before the General Assembly on Monday in an effort to bring focus back to that issue.
Iran stood before the General Assembly to address the representatives on the various wars in the region. Iran notoriously backs many of the terror groups with which Israel is currently at war – including Hamas and Hezbollah.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said he wants Iran to be a player on the world stage. At the same time, he harshly critiqued Israel for its actions in recent months and said its attack on Lebanon “cannot go unanswered.”
The war in Israel as well as the ones in Ukraine, Sudan and elsewhere were also part of the focus for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. In his speech, Guterres warned that the modern world is currently “a powder keg” with all the problems it faces.
Guterres said these problems are “solvable” and claimed the answers lie in addressing three core challenges: uncertainty, inequality and impunity.