President Donald Trump used his address to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday to offer Iran a choice between a negotiated settlement and what he described as the country’s destruction, striking a sharply militaristic tone while portraying himself as an advocate for peace. Speaking in New York during the 81st session of the General Assembly, Trump said he was weighing whether to allow Iran to rebuild through a deal or to “annihilate” the Islamic Republic. He said the latter option could be carried out quickly and framed it as a way to prevent Iran from threatening other countries. “I have a big decision to make,” Trump said, according to prepared remarks reported from the speech. He described a possible agreement that would allow Iran to become “one of the greatest in the Middle East or even the world,” but contrasted that prospect with driving the country “into hell with no chance of survival.” Trump also said the November midterm elections would not affect his approach to the conflict. He argued that his overriding objective was to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, regardless of how Republicans fare at the polls. The address came as the war between the United States and Iran entered its seventh month with no clear sign of an end. Gas prices have remained high, while fighting and regional instability have continued. Advances by Houthi forces in Yemen and attacks on Saudi Arabian infrastructure have raised concerns that the conflict could spread further across the Middle East. Trump claimed that he had ended eight wars since returning to the White House, but that record has been disputed. Some conflicts he has said were resolved have resumed, and the extent of his role in negotiations over others remains contested. The political costs of the Iran war are also beginning to surface. A CNN poll released Tuesday found that Trump’s approval rating on foreign policy had fallen to its lowest level, with the conflict contributing to the decline. On Monday, Republican Senate candidates Ashley Hinson of Iowa and Mike Rogers of Michigan called for the war to end, breaking with the president on a central foreign-policy issue. Despite the ongoing fighting, Trump defended his “peace through strength” approach and said U.S. power had made the world safer. “While others have spoken of peace, I have made peace,” Trump said. “While others have ignored threats, I have confronted them.” The competing messages underscored the stakes for the administration and communities affected by the conflict: Trump is presenting the war as evidence of American strength while keeping open the possibility of a diplomatic settlement, but his threat of annihilation raises the risk of further escalation at a time when the fighting is already affecting regional security and fuel prices.