Senior US officials met Iranian counterparts on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, the first direct talks between the two governments since late June. The meeting came hours after Donald Trump told world leaders he could annihilate Iran if Tehran refuses a deal, while predicting an agreement will follow November's midterm elections.
Senior US officials met Iranian counterparts on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, hours after Donald Trump said he could annihilate Iran during his address to world leaders. Trump said envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner had a very good meeting with Iran's delegation, and Iranian state television reported that foreign minister Abbas Araghchi attended the first direct talks between the two countries since late June.
Talks resume after months of silence
Trump added that further talks were set to take place in the near future, after telling the assembly he faced a major decision over the Iran conflict, which he said has ignited a global energy crisis and triggered broader violence across the Middle East. Trump cast the choice for Tehran as either accepting a deal that lets the country rebuild or facing destruction if it refuses US terms.
Sanctions target Iranian aviation
Trump delivered the remarks as Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian travelled to New York for the assembly and as Washington threatens sanctions on air service providers in countries where Iranian airlines operate. The move would further isolate Iran, with Oman and Iraq preparing to stop receiving Iranian airlines, according to a spokesperson for Iran's Civil Aviation Organization.
Trump points to a deal after the midterms
The US president predicted he would strike a peace agreement after November's midterm elections, which will decide whether his Republican Party keeps control of Congress. Trump said: "I believe we will make a deal right after the election," he added. He complained that Iran was watching how the vote unfolds but insisted it was not shaping his approach to the war.
The conflict has not just isolated Washington internationally but also driven Trump's domestic approval ratings to new lows heading into the election, even as he predicts the standoff will end in a deal.
Source: Financial Times
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