Senior officials from Iran and the United States have met at the United Nations in New York for talks, as US President Donald Trump warned that he could “annihilate” Iran if the conflict between the two countries remains unresolved.
The discussions, facilitated by Qatar, involved Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff. The meeting was the first direct diplomatic engagement between the two sides since a ceasefire reached in June broke down.
Although no major breakthrough was announced, Witkoff described the talks as constructive. He said the discussions had been completed and expressed hope that they would lead to a positive outcome. Iran, however, maintained its position that the United States must end what it described as acts of aggression.
The conflict began on 28 February when the United States and Israel launched air strikes against Iran. Tehran responded with attacks on Israel, US military bases in the Gulf and US-allied Arab states. Iran also restricted access through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial route for global energy supplies.
Before the conflict, about 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passed through the Strait of Hormuz. The disruption caused by the closure has contributed to significant volatility in global energy prices.
The situation has increased pressure on President Trump to negotiate an end to the conflict, particularly with the United States preparing for Congressional elections in November.
Speaking at the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, Trump devoted part of his speech to highlighting his administration’s record on the economy, immigration, border security and violent crime. His remarks appeared to be directed partly at American voters ahead of the midterm elections.
Trump also spent considerable time defending the military campaign against Iran. His position contrasted with that of UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who earlier warned that divisions among countries were worsening and stressed the interconnected nature of the international community.
Trump argued that military action had prevented Iran from developing a nuclear weapon and presented the conflict as an example of what he called “peace through strength”.
He questioned whether Iran would agree to a deal that would allow it to rebuild or whether the United States would instead destroy the Islamic Republic.
Trump also said he expected a potential agreement with Iran to be reached after the November elections, although previous attempts to secure a deal have failed.
His remarks reflected an approach based on applying military and economic pressure while continuing to leave the door open for negotiations.
Later, Trump told reporters that US officials had held what he described as a productive three-hour meeting with the Iranian delegation on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
Iranian state television also confirmed that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had met with Witkoff.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei, quoted by state broadcaster IRNA, said the discussions were conducted through Qatari mediators. According to Baghaei, Tehran’s conditions included an end to the conflict on all fronts and a halt to what Iran considers US acts of aggression.
Witkoff later confirmed on X that the negotiations had taken place through mediators who moved between the two delegations throughout the day.
He said the two sides had completed a round of discussions that he hoped would prove constructive and promising, adding that the mediators would continue their efforts.
Since the collapse of the ceasefire, Iran and the US have continued to exchange attacks intermittently.
Iran has targeted vessels that it says attempted to pass through the Strait of Hormuz without authorisation. The United States, meanwhile, has carried out attacks on Iranian positions in the strait and targeted Iranian tankers operating off Iran’s coast.
Washington has also maintained a blockade of Iranian ports, contributing to severe disruption to the country’s economy.
Trump has further increased pressure on Tehran by threatening sanctions against countries that continue to trade with Iran. Despite these measures, there has been little indication that Iran is changing its position.
Tehran continues to demand an end to the US and Israeli military campaign, including Israeli attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Iran-backed Shia group.
Meanwhile, Yemen’s Houthi movement, another Iranian ally, has intensified attacks aimed at disrupting oil shipments from Saudi Arabia, prompting further escalation between the group and the kingdom.
