US and Iran hold first talks since June after Trump's 'annihilation' threat

ByBernd Debusmann Jr, White House reporter and Paulin Kola.

Key points

• The US and Israel introduced air strikes on Iran on 28 February.
• He spent much of his address justifying the war with Iran – a massive contrast with remarks earlier by UN Secretary General António Guterres.
• According to Iran state TV, foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had met Witkoff.
• It has additionally climbed pressure on Trump to find a way of ending the conflict – particularly as the US heads to Congressional elections in November.
• Trump afterwards stated to journalists that American authorities had had a "very productive" three-hour gathering with the Iranian delegation on the sidelines of the general assembly.

Top Iranian and US authorities have held negotiations at the UN in New York on a day when the US leader noted he could "annihilate" the Islamic Republic if the conflict went unresolved.

No breakthrough has been documented from the gathering mediated by Qatar and involving Iran's foreign minister and US President Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff – the first since a June ceasefire unravelled.

Witkoff remarked a round of discussions had been completed "that we hope will prove constructive and promising". Iran repeated its demand for the US to end its "acts of aggression".

Notably, the US and Israel introduced air strikes on Iran on 28 February. Iran responded by attacking Israel and US bases in the Gulf and Arab Gulf allies of the US – as well as blocking the Strait of Hormuz.

Some 20% of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas applied to pass through the strait before the war and its closure has caused wild fluctuations of costs.

In his address at the annual session of the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, Trump began by touting his accomplishments on the economy, immigration, the border and tackling violent crime – remarks that sounded more pitched to voters the US midterms than the diplomats in the hall.

He spent much of his address justifying the war with Iran – a massive contrast with remarks earlier by UN Secretary General António Guterres. This person cautioned global divisions were deepening and underscored the "interdependence" of the world's peoples.

Notably, the US president argued that the conflict had prevented Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and demonstrated the value of what he described as peace through strength – ultimatums rather than deal-making or compromise.

"Will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before?" he remarked.

"Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it rapidly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy residents and countries again? Do I drive them into hell?"

Trump remarked he believed an Iran agreement. It has so far eluded him, would come right after November's elections.

For context, the remarks were indicative of his foreign-policy strategy of coercive diplomacy – threatening overwhelming force while keeping negotiations open.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei, quoted by state broadcaster IRNA, afterwards stated negotiations took part through a Qatari mediator who communicated Tehran's conditions, including an end to the war on all fronts and to US "acts of aggression".

Notably, the BBC asked Witkoff how the meetings had gone as he was leaving the UN building and he responded with a thumbs up. Witkoff afterwards confirmed on X that the negotiations had been held "through the mediators, who shuttled between the two sides throughout the day".

"They successfully completed a round of discussions that we hope will prove constructive and promising, " Witkoff remarked. "The mediators will continue their work." Since the ceasefire collapsed, both sides have intermittently exchanged fire.

Iran has attacked vessels it notes have attempted to cross the Strait of Hormuz without authorisation.

In practice, the US has attacked Iranian sites in the strait – as well as Iranian tankers off the country's coast.

In practice, the US has additionally maintained a blockade of Iranian ports, causing a enormous disruption to the Iranian economy.

In a bid to force Tehran to agree a accord to end the conflict, President Trump has additionally threatened sanctions against any country that continues trading with Iran. But so far, there has been no indication of a change of course in Iran. It insists the US and Israel end their war, including against the Iran-backed Shia group Hezbollah in Lebanon which Israel has been attacking.

Yemen's Houthis – additionally allied to Iran – have lately intesified attacks aimed at disrupting oil shipping from Saudi Arabia, promting an escalation of the conflict with the kingdom.

For now, US and Iran hold first talks since June after Trump' s ' annihilation' threat remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.