Echoes of War at UNGA

The 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly convened against the backdrop of war in the Middle East, disruptions in global energy transportation, and serious challenges to international security. The speeches of US President Donald Trump, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, among other world leaders, lent the session added weight. Comprising 193 member states, the United Nations is an important multilateral platform for presenting positions on global issues, where heads of state outline their priorities regarding foreign policy, regional conflicts and global cooperation. This year, the Iran-US war and tensions in the Middle East remained dominant themes, the effects of which are being felt beyond the Strait of Hormuz to the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb and, consequently, on the global economy.
Indeed, the significance of the General Assembly is not limited to speeches; the presence of world leaders in New York also opens the door to bilateral meetings, diplomatic contacts and consultations on important issues. Historically, the first session of the General Assembly was held in London on January 10, 1946. After the second part of that session, United Nations meetings were held at various locations in New York, and eventually the current permanent headquarters in New York emerged as the epicenter of global diplomacy.
For Pakistan, the situation in the Middle East, along with relations with India, the Kashmir issue and water rights, took center stage at this year’s session. Addressing the Assembly on September 25, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that any attempt to stop or divert the water of rivers flowing towards Pakistan would be considered an act of war. Referring to the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb as important arteries of the global economy, he underscored the urgency of keeping them open. The Prime Minister also condemned the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and reiterated Pakistan’s full support for the protection of the Holy Mosques.
In his address to the United Nations 80th General Assembly last year, Shehbaz Sharif had mentioned the Pakistan-India war of May 2025, describing the actions of the Pakistani armed forces as a response to India’s aggression. He lauded US President Donald Trump’s diplomatic efforts for a ceasefire and reiterated Pakistan’s announcement of nominating him for the Nobel Peace Prize. According to the Prime Minister, the US President’s timely diplomatic intervention played a role in reducing the risk of a major confrontation between the two nuclear powers. He also underscored the need for a just solution to the Kashmir issue and substantive negotiations with India.
Regarding the Iran war, Pakistan pressed for renewed negotiations and a reduction in tensions. In June 2026, a 14-point draft of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and Iran emerged, which included points such as stopping military operations, ensuring safe passage of commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, and paving the way for negotiations for a comprehensive agreement. Regrettably, however, owing to the draft’s non-implementation, the Iran war has still not ended. This month, China also urged both sides to revert to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, resume the negotiation process and take steps to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
In his address to the General Assembly, President Trump struck a hardline stance on Iran’s nuclear program, while at the same time hinting at the possibility of a deal. He said that an agreement with Iran was possible, while also voicing hope for headway after the US elections.
Israel’s influence in US policy is starkly evident, an undeniable reality. US Senator Bernie Sanders opposed the US and Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28, 2026, calling the war unconstitutional and unnecessary, and called on Congress to take action regarding war powers. Meanwhile, in a March 2026 survey, 61 percent of American adults expressed dissatisfaction with President Trump’s strategy regarding the Iran war, while in response to another question, 59 percent considered the decision to take military action in Iran to be wrong.
The issue of Houthi attacks and Saudi Arabia’s security has also taken on added significance for the member states of the Mecca Defence Agreement, including Pakistan. In September, Saudi Arabia reported a barrage of Houthi missile and drone strikes, while Britain, at Saudi Arabia’s request, announced assistance in providing defensive aviation fuel for a limited period. However, under the current circumstances, for Pakistan, diplomacy, regional and international security, the protection of trade routes, and preventing the spread of war remain closely intertwined objectives.
The most sobering reality is that the war, which has continued for seven months, has inflicted upon the region’s people loss of life, destruction, uncertainty and economic difficulties. Therefore, it is now essential for the international community to intensify effective diplomatic efforts to give priority to the path of peace and negotiations instead of war. If Israel and the United States on one side, and Iran on the other, along with all parties to this conflict, move towards a workable compromise instead of insisting on their respective conditions, a way may emerge to reduce tensions. The people of Iran and the United States themselves can no longer bear the storm of further war, destruction, devastation and inflation, which, with the passage of time, is seeping like poison through the global economy; therefore, greater momentum must build toward ending the war, establishing a permanent ceasefire and resuming negotiations before the US midterm elections, so that further loss of human lives and the wider destruction taking place in the region can be prevented, the path to which may become further paved in the coming days.