President Trump Faces Protests at UN Assembly

President Trump on Tuesday defended his campaign against Iran at the United Nations as protests outside the UN complex prompted chants of "war criminal" and Iran's delegation walked out.

Iran delegation walkout

Protests outside UN compound

Diplomatic ripple effects Watch developments over the next 48 hours for any shifts in diplomatic contacts or security posture around the UN, officials said.

President Trump reiterated that Iran must never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon and said his administration had confronted threats earlier governments had let grow, officials said. Delegation members left the assembly during portions of the address, officials said.

Protests erupted around the UN complex in New York, with demonstrators chanting at points during the speech, officials said. Security officials and UN staff limited access in certain areas near the General Assembly, the officials added.

The confrontation threaded through a day of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the General Assembly, officials said, complicating efforts to de-escalate tensions with Tehran. Washington officials defended the president's remarks as a justification of current policy toward Iran.