Trump threatens to annihilate Iran as diplomats push for deal at UN

UNITED NATIONS, Sep 22 – President Donald Trump said Tuesday that U.S. and Iranian officials held a roughly three-hour meeting in New York, offering an unexpected diplomatic opening just hours after he warned that he could “annihilate” Iran if a deal to end the nearly seven-month war is not reached.

Trump said his special envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, met with Iranian representatives on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. He did not identify the Iranian officials or provide details about what was discussed, but described the encounter as a “very good meeting.”

The meeting marked the most significant reported direct engagement between U.S. and Iranian representatives in months, although Trump acknowledged that the Iranian delegation did not include the country’s highest-ranking officials.

“They were not the highest level, but it’s something,” Trump told reporters.

Witkoff later said on X that the discussions were conducted indirectly, with mediators moving between the American and Iranian teams. He said he remained hopeful that the talks could develop into a constructive diplomatic effort.

The contact came after months of stalled communication following the collapse of a ceasefire reached in June. U.S. and Iranian negotiators had also held separate discussions with Qatari and Pakistani mediators in Doha in early July, but those efforts failed to produce a lasting settlement.

The latest meeting unfolded against the backdrop of Trump’s unusually forceful speech to the U.N. General Assembly, where he defended the U.S. decision to wage war against Iran while also suggesting that diplomacy could still provide a way out.

Trump leaves door open to talks with Iran

Earlier Tuesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Trump remained willing to meet Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian while both leaders were in New York.

Speaking to NBC’s “Today” show, Rubio said Trump generally believes direct engagement is necessary when trying to resolve international disputes. He cautioned, however, that meeting with an opposing leader does not necessarily mean the two sides will reach an agreement.

Trump’s comments later in the day reflected that dual approach. He presented Iran with a choice between reaching a settlement that would allow the country to rebuild and facing further military action.

“I have a big decision to make,” Trump said during his U.N. address.

He said a potential agreement could allow Iran to become a stronger country, while warning that he could instead move quickly against the Islamic Republic.

Trump also called on Iran to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical energy corridor whose disruption has contributed to turmoil in global oil markets. The waterway has become one of the central flashpoints of the conflict because of its importance to international energy shipments.

The president’s remarks came as representatives of Iran’s delegation left the General Assembly chamber while he was speaking about the Islamic Republic.

Trump portrayed Iran as weakened by the war and argued that continued pressure was necessary to prevent Tehran from threatening other countries. He said the Iranian government was acting aggressively because, in his view, it was increasingly desperate rather than confident.

The meeting between Witkoff, Kushner and Iranian officials therefore created a striking contrast with the tone of Trump’s address. While the president publicly threatened another escalation, his senior envoys were simultaneously involved in an effort to explore whether negotiations could restart.

Trump also met with leaders and senior officials from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, along with Jordan, to discuss the conflict and its regional consequences.

Iran war dominates Trump’s U.N. diplomacy

The war with Iran has become one of the defining issues of Trump’s foreign policy, with the conflict approaching its seventh month and increasingly affecting energy markets and security across the Middle East.

Trump used his appearance at the General Assembly to defend his decision to launch the war, arguing that the United States had acted rather than allowing threats to grow.

His administration has maintained that Iran’s nuclear capabilities and broader military activities represented a serious danger. Trump had made a similar argument during last year’s U.N. appearance, when he said the United States had destroyed key elements of Iran’s nuclear program following strikes on major facilities in June 2025.

Since then, the conflict has expanded considerably. U.S. and Israeli military operations have killed senior Iranian officials and inflicted extensive damage on the country’s military infrastructure. A U.S. blockade targeting Iranian oil exports has also placed additional pressure on Tehran’s economy.

The consequences have extended well beyond Iran’s borders.

Oil markets have remained sensitive to developments surrounding the conflict, while disruptions around major shipping routes have complicated the movement of energy supplies. Saudi Arabia earlier this month shut down a major pipeline that had provided an alternative route for oil exports from the Gulf after the facility came under attack by Iran-backed militants in Iraq.

The security situation around the Red Sea has also deteriorated. Houthi forces in Yemen, which receive support from Iran, have expanded their activity around the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The developments have made the route increasingly difficult for commercial shipping and added another layer of risk for energy markets.

Trump’s meeting with Gulf leaders came as regional governments face the possibility that the war could spread further. Their discussions were focused in part on the security implications of the conflict and the future of the region.

The diplomatic activity also comes at a politically sensitive time for Trump’s administration. The war has become an issue in the approaching U.S. midterm elections, with the conflict and its economic consequences creating difficulties for Republicans seeking to maintain control of Congress.

Trump nevertheless argued in his speech that his willingness to use military power had made the world safer.

“I have no interest in leaving dangers to grow for another day,” he said.

Trump also presses Russia and Ukraine to end war

Iran was not the only international conflict discussed during Trump’s busy day in New York. The president also addressed Russia’s war against Ukraine, another foreign-policy issue that has tested his administration.

Trump has repeatedly expressed frustration with the continued fighting despite his earlier campaign promise that the war could be resolved quickly after his return to office. On Tuesday, he again said he wanted the conflict to end.

The situation has become increasingly connected to global energy markets. Ukraine has continued targeting Russian diesel refineries, while Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure have added further pressure to an already unstable energy environment.

Trump said he had signed new legislation imposing additional sanctions on Russia. The measure gives him authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on major importers of Russian oil or natural gas.

The legislation contains an exception for countries that import less than 15% of Russia’s natural gas exports and have taken significant measures to reduce their dependence on Russian energy. Trump has not yet imposed the full penalties authorized under the law, but he said he would use them if necessary.

“It’s time to stop the killing,” Trump said.

His meetings in New York reflected the broad foreign-policy agenda confronting the administration, with Iran, Ukraine, energy security and relations with major U.S. allies all competing for attention.

Trump also used the U.N. gathering to meet with British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez.

The meeting with Rodríguez was particularly notable because it was the first encounter between the two since the U.S. military operation that removed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from power in January. Maduro was subsequently taken to New York to face federal charges, while his lawyers have challenged the legality of the U.S. action.

Trump’s discussions with Denmark and Greenland also produced a new security agreement that will expand the U.S. military presence in Greenland while leaving the territory under Danish control. Trump said the United States would begin work on developing a larger military presence, including plans for two major military bases.

Taken together, Trump’s day at the United Nations showed the competing sides of his foreign policy. His speech emphasized military strength and the threat of further action against Iran, while his envoys were simultaneously testing whether negotiations with Tehran could produce a way forward.

Whether Tuesday’s meeting develops into a broader diplomatic process remains unclear. For now, the encounter provides a rare opening in a conflict that has repeatedly moved between threats of escalation and attempts to restart negotiations.