U.S. and Iranian diplomats held talks at the UN General Assembly as Trump weighs between a nuclear deal or driving Iran 'into hell.'
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U.S. officials met with Iranian representatives at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, just days after President Trump warned he may "annihilate" Iran. Trump described the meeting as "very good" and said "It's to their advantage to make a deal" before meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The meeting included U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump advisor Jared Kushner on the American side, while Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi represented Tehran. Iranian state media reported that Iran presented conditions for reopening the strategic Hormuz Strait: immediate lifting of the naval blockade, immediate release of frozen Iranian funds, and an end to the war.
The diplomatic engagement marks a sharp shift in tone from Trump's rhetoric at the UN, where he said he has a "big decision to make" on whether to make a deal or drive Iran "into hell." The meeting represents a direct diplomatic encounter between the two nations after months of escalating threats.
Trump cited what he called President Joe Biden's attack on workers as justification for calling a snap provincial election in British Columbia. The election call came on the same day as the UN diplomacy unfolded, with the premier framing the U.S. political landscape as a factor in the provincial vote.
Sources: 1.