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US stands alone on Iran at Security Council

President Donald Trump threatened "severe consequences" for anyone resisting US sanctions.

U.S. President Donald Trump departs a meeting of the United Nations Security Council held during the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., September 26, 2018. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz - HP1EE9Q1938EO
US President Donald Trump departs a meeting of the United Nations Security Council held during the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York, US, Sept. 26, 2018. — Reuters/Eduardo Munoz

NEW YORK — One day after his boast of unprecedented US greatness drew laughter at the United Nations, President Donald Trump's isolation on the global stage was on full display today at the Security Council.

The US leader showed no sign of contriteness as one world leader after another ripped into his administration's decision to exit the 2015 nuclear deal as he chaired a counter-proliferation briefing. Instead, Trump put foreign officials on notice that they would have to follow America's lead, not the other way around.

“All US nuclear-related sanctions will be in full force by early November. They will be in full force,” Trump insisted. “After that, the United States will pursue additional sanctions — tougher than ever before — to counter the entire range of Iran's malign conduct.”

He went on to urge other countries to abandon their efforts to save the deal by continuing to do business with Iran.

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