UN assembly elects Germany's ex-foreign minister as next president after Russia demands secret vote

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly elected Germany’s former foreign minister Annalena Baerbock to be the next head of the 193-member world body in a secret-ballot vote demanded by Russia.

Baerbock got 167 votes, almost double the 88 votes needed to win, while high-ranking German diplomat Helga Schmid received 7 votes as a write-in and 14 countries abstained.

Germany had nominated Schmid for the assembly presidency but replaced her with Baerbock after she lost her job as the country’s foreign affairs chief in the recent election. The decision drew some criticism in Germany.

When Baerbock appeared before the assembly to discuss her candidacy on May 15, Russia’s deputy U.N. ambassador Dmitry Polyansky lashed into her, saying: “Ms. Baerbock has repeatedly proved her incompetence, extreme bias and lack of understanding of the basic principles of diplomacy.”

Polyansky accused her of having pursued an “anti-Russia policy," which he said gave Russia reason to doubt that as General Assembly president she would be "able to act in the interests of peace and dialogue.”

Baerbock brushed off Russia's request for a secret ballot.

“I am grateful … the overwhelming majority of member states have voted in favor of my candidacy and I’m looking forward to work with all member states together in these challenging times,” she said.

Baerbock will replace current assembly president Philemon Yang, a former prime minister of Cameroon, at the start of the 80th session in September. She will preside over the annual gathering of world leaders in late September and anniversary events marking the founding of the United Nations in 1945.

The one-year presidency of the General Assembly rotates by region.

The assembly, which is the U.N.’s most representative body, has taken the spotlight in reacting to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. That’s because any action by the U.N. Security Council has been blocked by the veto power of Russia on Ukraine and the United States on Gaza.

Baerbock said in her acceptance speech that the theme of her presidency will be “Better Together,” stressing that the world is “walking on a tightrope of uncertainty” in very challenging times.

The birth of the United Nations on the ashes of World War II “reminds us: We have lived through difficult times before," she said. "And it is up to us to take up these challenges.”

Baerbock pointed to more than 120 armed conflicts around the world today as another reminder that the U.N.’s primary mission, “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war," remains unaccomplished.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Baerback will take the presidency as the world faces not only “conflicts, climate catastrophe, poverty and inequality” but divisions and mistrust.

“Aid and development funding are drying up, and our institutions and structures still reflect the world of yesterday, not a vision of tomorrow,” he said. “This is a moment for us to unite, to forge common solutions, and to take action to confront these challenges.”

Annalena Baerbock of Germany, second from right, talks with delegates in the United Nations General Assembly, Monday, June 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Annalena Baerbock of Germany addresses the United Nations General Assembly after she was elected as president of the 80th session of the body, Monday, June 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Annalena Baerbock of Germany, center, is greeted by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, right, and current UNGA President Philemon Yang, left, after she was elected as president of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, Monday, June 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Annalena Baerbock of Germany addresses the United Nations General Assembly after she was elected as president of the 80th session of the body, Monday, June 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran wants to negotiate with Washington after his threat to strike the Islamic Republic over its bloody crackdown on protesters, a move coming as activists said Monday the death toll in the nationwide demonstrations rose to at least 544.

Iran had no immediate reaction to the news, which came after the foreign minister of Oman — long an interlocutor between Washington and Tehran — traveled to Iran this weekend. It also remains unclear just what Iran could promise, particularly as Trump has set strict demands over its nuclear program and its ballistic missile arsenal, which Tehran insists is crucial for its national defense.

Meanwhile Monday, Iran called for pro-government demonstrators to head to the streets in support of the theocracy, a show of force after days of protests directly challenging the rule of 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian state television aired chants from the crowd, who shouted “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!”

Trump and his national security team have been weighing a range of potential responses against Iran including cyberattacks and direct strikes by the U.S. or Israel, according to two people familiar with internal White House discussions who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

“The military is looking at it, and we’re looking at some very strong options,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday night. Asked about Iran’s threats of retaliation, he said: “If they do that, we will hit them at levels that they’ve never been hit before.”

Trump said that his administration was in talks to set up a meeting with Tehran, but cautioned that he may have to act first as reports of the death toll in Iran mount and the government continues to arrest protesters.

“I think they’re tired of being beat up by the United States,” Trump said. “Iran wants to negotiate.”

He added: “The meeting is being set up, but we may have to act because of what’s happening before the meeting. But a meeting is being set up. Iran called, they want to negotiate.”

Iran through country's parliamentary speaker warned Sunday that the U.S. military and Israel would be “legitimate targets” if America uses force to protect demonstrators.

More than 10,600 people also have been detained over the two weeks of protests, said the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been accurate in previous unrest in recent years and gave the death toll. It relies on supporters in Iran crosschecking information. It said 496 of the dead were protesters and 48 were with security forces.

With the internet down in Iran and phone lines cut off, gauging the demonstrations from abroad has grown more difficult. The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the toll. Iran’s government has not offered overall casualty figures.

Those abroad fear the information blackout is emboldening hard-liners within Iran’s security services to launch a bloody crackdown. Protesters flooded the streets in the country’s capital and its second-largest city on Saturday night into Sunday morning. Online videos purported to show more demonstrations Sunday night into Monday, with a Tehran official acknowledging them in state media.

In Tehran, a witness told the AP that the streets of the capital empty at the sunset call to prayers each night. By the Isha, or nighttime prayer, the streets are deserted.

Part of that stems from the fear of getting caught in the crackdown. Police sent the public a text message that warned: “Given the presence of terrorist groups and armed individuals in some gatherings last night and their plans to cause death, and the firm decision to not tolerate any appeasement and to deal decisively with the rioters, families are strongly advised to take care of their youth and teenagers.”

Another text, which claimed to come from the intelligence arm of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, also directly warned people not to take part in demonstrations.

“Dear parents, in view of the enemy’s plan to increase the level of naked violence and the decision to kill people, ... refrain from being on the streets and gathering in places involved in violence, and inform your children about the consequences of cooperating with terrorist mercenaries, which is an example of treason against the country,” the text warned.

The witness spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity due to the ongoing crackdown.

The demonstrations began Dec. 28 over the collapse of the Iranian rial currency, which trades at over 1.4 million to $1, as the country’s economy is squeezed by international sanctions in part levied over its nuclear program. The protests intensified and grew into calls directly challenging Iran’s theocracy.

Nikhinson reported from aboard Air Force One.

In this frame grab from video obtained by the AP outside Iran, a masked demonstrator holds a picture of Iran's Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi during a protest in Tehran, Iran, Friday, January. 9, 2026. (UGC via AP)

In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran shows protesters taking to the streets despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026.(UGC via AP)

In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran showed protesters once again taking to the streets of Tehran despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Saturday Jan. 10, 2026. (UGC via AP)