UN General Assembly 2026: War on Iran and Gaza genocide dominate

UN General Assembly 2026: War on Iran and Gaza genocide dominate United Nations secretary general Antonio Guterres kicked off the 81st United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday at UN headquarters in New York City, saying that we are entering "a multipolar world and that movement is irreversible”.

In what will be his last UN address, Guterres said that "superpowers were finding the limits of their power", as he called for fighting across the Middle East to stop. "Military power alone cannot secure peace.

Economic power alone cannot command stability. And technological power alone cannot guarantee security.

A networked multipolar world can create the conditions for a much more balanced and representative global problem-solving.

But it requires a multilateral system, centred in the UN, that is balanced and representative," he said.

He warned that the ceasefires announced in the Middle East were in name only, and that civilians were paying the price.

Read more: UN General Assembly 2026: War on Iran and Gaza genocide dominate US President Donald Trump speaks during the 81st United Nations General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York City, on 22 September 2026 (Brendan Smialowski/Pool/AFP)