UNO: US President Joe Biden and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, two of the world's most-watched leaders, will speak on the second day of the first fully in-person meeting of the UN General Assembly since the coronavirus pandemic began.

The only leader who will be seen and heard but will not appear in person on Wednesday will most likely be President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, whose country is at war with Russia.

Because of his ongoing need to deal with Russia's invasion, the 193-member assembly voted last week to allow Zelensky to deliver a pre-recorded speech, deviating from the assembly's requirement that all leaders speak in person. . Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced that he will not attend the annual gathering of world leaders.

Unsurprisingly, Ukraine has been the focal point of the meeting, with world leaders condemning Russia for attacking a sovereign nation. The war, which has already killed thousands, is driving up food prices around the world, as well as increasing energy costs – a particularly concerning issue as winter approaches. It has also raised concerns about a nuclear disaster at Europe's largest nuclear plant located in the now-Russian-occupied southeast of Ukraine.

Leaders of many countries are trying to stop a major conflict and restore peace in Europe. Diplomats, on the other hand, do not expect any breakthrough this week at the United Nations, where around 150 world leaders will address each other and the world.

Biden's speech on Wednesday is expected to focus heavily on the war in Ukraine, where Ukrainian troops recently took control of large parts of the region near Kharkiv that was the first Russian forces in the nearly seven-month-long conflict. were confiscated by

Even as the Ukrainian military is victorious on the battlefield, much of Europe continues to suffer as a result of economic sanctions imposed in response to its invasion of Russia.

After the recent setbacks, the White House is also concerned that Putin will escalate the conflict. In an interview with CBS-"60 Minutes of TV" that aired on Sunday, Biden warned Putin that using nuclear or chemical weapons in Ukraine would result in a "consequential" backlash from the US.

Biden's visit to the United Nations comes at a time when his administration's efforts to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal seem to be stalling. The Obama administration negotiated a deal, which Trump rejected in 2018, that would allow Iran to end most of its nuclear program and open up its facilities to international inspections in exchange for agreeing to open its facilities to billions in sanctions relief. dollars provided.

Iran's president has said he has no intention of meeting Biden on the sidelines of a UN event. Raisi described his first appearance at the United Nations as an opportunity to convince the world of the alleged "maliciousness" directed at Iran by unspecified nations and world powers, but did not elaborate.

Iran has faced international condemnation after the death of a woman detained by its morality police sparked days of protests, including clashes with security forces and other unrest in the capital that involved at least three People lost their lives.

An investigation has been requested by the United Nations Human Rights Office. The US has urged Iran to end its "systemic harassment" of women. Italy also sentenced him to death.

Iranian officials dismissed the criticism as being of a political nature, accusing unnamed foreign countries of fomenting unrest.

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