UN Security Council: Theresa May defends Brexit vote at General Assembly as Trump chairs meeting

US President repeatedly attacks Iran for second time in two days

Donald Trump accuses China of interfering in 2018 midterm elections

Donald Trump has chairing a United Nations Security Council meeting - a first for the US president.

It means that most of the attention that would have been focused on events at the General Assembly - where UK Prime Minister Theresa May would later defend the Brexit vote - was instead focused on the UN's most powerful body, where the US currently holds the rotating presidency.

While the meeting of the council addressed the issue of nonproliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, Mr Trump himself used the platform to attack Iran and accuse China - but not Russia - of meddling in 2018 midterm elections.

On Tuesday, during an unabashedly "America First" speech, Mr Trump said Iranian leaders "sow chaos, death and destruction" and "spread mayhem across the Middle East and far beyond." His national security adviser, John Bolton, also warned that there would be "hell to pay" if Tehran crossed the US, its allies or their partners.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani responded by accusing the Mr Trump administration of violating the rules of international law and "state obligations" by withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal that Iran signed with the US and five other major powers.

Mr Rouhani did not to attend the Security Council meeting that. The council is populated by five permanent members -- the US, China, Russia, Britain and France -- and 10 other member states, who occupy a council seat for two-year terms. Iran is not among them.

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[26 September 2018 15:33 · Chris Stevenson]

French president Emmanuel Macron is now talking abut the issue of North Korea.

[26 September 2018 15:41 · Chris Stevenson]

He says that North Korea needs to commit to denuclearisation

[26 September 2018 15:43 · Chris Stevenson]

He moves onto Syria, and says that there has been an increase in the use of chemicals recently and that needs to stop.

[26 September 2018 15:45 · Chris Stevenson]

Mr Macron is talking about the need for co-operation, in stark contrast to mr trump's focus on the US outlook.

[26 September 2018 15:56 · Chris Stevenson]

Something I missed from Mr Trump's speech earlier - he thanked Iran, Russia and Syria for slowing their attack on Idlib province in Syria. Last week, Russia and Turkey reached a deal to avert an offensive against Idlib, the last major rebel-held stronghold in Syria.

[26 September 2018 16:05 · Chris Stevenson]

Outside the Security Council meeting, Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom said "patriotism" isn't the solution to Tehran's nuclear programme. 

Donald Trump told the UN General Assembly on Tuesday that "America is governed by Americans. We reject the ideology of globalism, and we embrace the doctrine of patriotism." 

Speaking to the General Assembly, Ms Wallstrom asked hypothetically, "What's the alternative to the Iran deal?" 

In her words, "We have tried sanctions over the years. We tried isolation, and it only gave the most conservative forces in Iran more power," she said. 

Ms Wallstrom said the EU is working on how to set up a financial facility that will help companies do business with Iran following the U.S. imposition of sanctions. 

[26 September 2018 16:17 · Kristin Hugo]

President Trump indicated during his speech to the UN security council that all options are on the table as far as the crisis in Venezuela is concerned, and the comments come just a day after the US brought harsher sanctions against those close to President Nicolas Maduro.

"All options are on the table. Every one. The strong ones and the less than strong ones. Every option. And you know what I mean by strong. Every option is on the table with respect to Venezuela," Mr Trump said.

Mr Trump similarly mentioned this situation in Venezuela yesterday during his address the the UN General Assembly. He has called for a return to democracy in the country, which he praised for once having been one of the richest countries in the world.

The US had just imposed sanctions on key members of Mr Moduro's inner circle, including his wife, when he made that speech on Tuesday.

[26 September 2018 16:20 · Chris Stevenson]

Prime Minister Theresa May is up now, and thanked Mr Trump for convening the panel.

[26 September 2018 16:26 · Chris Stevenson]

The Ivory Coast has sent mixed messages to Mr Trump when it comes to nuclear proliferation, and the way his administration has approached the issue.

President Alassane Ouattara told Mr Trump that his country still supports the Iran nuclear, while also hailing Mr Trump's efforts to decrease the threat of nuclear weapons in North Korea.

[26 September 2018 16:29 · Chris Stevenson]

Ms May has praised international efforts to reduce nuclear weapons stockpiles, and to reduce biological weapons. But those gains are threatened, she said.

"But the last 18 months have seen these hard won gains challenged. We have seen chemical weapons use din Syria, Malaysia, and the UK," she said.

"If we do not increase our collective efforts to preserve and build on what we have there is a very real risk these gains will subside or fall away," she continued.