Rouhani to Attend UN General Assembly

President Hassan Rouhani is to visit the UN headquarters in New York next month to attend the 72nd United Nations General Assembly. According to a preliminary list of speakers posted on the UNGA website, Rouhani is due to deliver a speech to the assembly's gathering of world leaders, known as the General Debate, on September 20, Fars News Agency reported. Scores of heads of state and government are going to attend the annual gathering that convenes from September 19-25 this year. It follows the opening of the 72nd UN General Assembly on September 12. The UNGA usually lasts until December or January. Rouhani, who was reelected in a landslide in May, has attended all annual General Debate gatherings since 2013. This year's UNGA is the first for the controversial US President Donald Trump who has undermined global cooperation by pulling out of several international agreements, most notably the Paris climate accord. In his 2018 budget proposal to the US Congress, Trump has reportedly made cuts to US contributions to the UN programs.