Iran 'aggression has only increased' since nuclear deal: Trump

UNITED NATIONS, UNITED STATES: US President Donald Trump accused Iran of stepping up its "aggression" after signing a nuclear accord in 2015, saying Tehran took advantage of a lifting of sanctions to fund a missile program.

"In the years since the deal was signed, Iran´s aggression only increased," Trump said in a speech at a special session of the UN Security Council on non-proliferation.

"The regime used new funds from the deal to support terrorism, build nuclear capable missiles and foment chaos."

Trump pulled the United States out of the internationally brokered accord in May although European allies and Iran have pledged their continued commitment to the agreement which lifted sanctions in return for curbs in Tehran´s nuclear program.

The United States has been steadily reimposing sanctions against Iran in recent months and Trump said more were on the way.

"Following America´s withdrawal (from the accord), the United States began reimposing nuclear-related sanctions on Iran. All US nuclear-related sanctions will be in full force by early November."

Trump also heaped praise on North Korean leader Kim Jong Un but called for strict enforcement of sanctions for now.

He said to expect "very good news" in the coming months and years from North Korea after his landmark summit with the young strongman in Singapore in June.

"Kim Jong Un, a man I have gotten to know and like, wants peace and prosperity for North Korea," Trump said.

"Many things are happening behind the scenes away from the media which nobody knows, but they are happening nevertheless and they are happening in a very positive way."

But Trump also called for the enforcement of sanctions, which the United States has spent years building through the Security Council in response to North Korea´s nuclear and missile tests.

"Unfortunately, to ensure this progress continues, we must enforce existing UN Security Council resolutions until denuclearisation occurs," Trump said, reading form a prepared text.

"However, we have detected that some nations are already violating these UN sanctions. This includes illegal ship-to-ship transfers which must end immediately," he said.

"The safety of the Korean peninsula, the region and the world depends on full compliance."

Trump also accused China of working against his Republican Party in upcoming midterm polls, saying Beijing wanted to see him suffer an electoral blow because of his hard line on trade.

"Regrettably we found that China has been attempting to interfere in our upcoming 2018 election coming up in November against my administration," Trump said in the session.

"They do not want me or us to win because I am the first president ever to challenge China on trade."

Trump did not go into details about how he believed China was interfering in the midterms which could see the Republicans lose control of both the Senate and House of Representatives.

But his allegation comes as trade tensions soar between Beijing and Washington, which this week enacted new tariffs against China covering another $200 billion of its imports.