Middle East issues dominate UN General Assembly talks

Middle East leaders are set to play a central role at the United Nations General Assembly in New York as the region faces overlapping crises involving Iran, Gaza, and Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. Delegations from Jordan, Türkiye, Qatar, Egypt, and Israel are expected to be part of the week’s diplomacy, while U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet Gulf leaders on the sidelines to discuss regional security and the future of relations with Israel and Iran. The talks come as Arab states push for a political path on Gaza, including support for a Palestinian state, while also opposing forced displacement of Palestinians. At the same time, the conflict with Iran and threats to shipping routes have renewed attention on energy security and maritime chokepoints such as the Strait of Hormuz and Bab elMandeb.