Trump threatens Iran with 'hell' but unveils fresh talks
President Donald Trump told the United Nations on Tuesday he was deciding whether to "annihilate" Iran -- before revealing that US and Iranian officials had held talks for the first time in months. Trump's carrot-and-stick approach came as he delivered a bombastic speech to the UN General Assembly in New York focused heavily on his stalled, unpopular war against the Islamic Republic.
Iran and the United States engaged in direct talks at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, according to recent reports. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with US special envoy Steve Witkoff on Tuesday, marking the first public meeting between the two sides in months. The discussions centered on terms to resolve the conflict between the nations.
Multiple Gulf officials revealed that Qatar was instrumental in facilitating the meeting, which was complicated by logistical challenges. Qatar emerged as the primary facilitator among Gulf states seeking to arrange a "bump-in" between US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Gulf states had been pushing for US-Iran talks at the UN in the days leading up to the General Assembly.
Qatar and the UAE both advocated for de-escalation and engagement with the Islamic Republic during the weekend. Despite the talks being described as "very good" by Trump, he threatened to "annihilate" Iran during his address at the assembly.
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