Trump threatened to 'annihilate' Iran at the UN while simultaneously revealing backchannel negotiations, sending mixed signals on whether diplomacy or military…
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In his UN General Assembly address, Trump pondered whether a peace deal with Iran would be agreed or whether he would have to take "extreme action" against Tehran. The threat came on the same day his envoys held a three-hour meeting with Iranian officials in New York, a encounter that surprised observers given no known talks have occurred since negotiations collapsed earlier this year.
Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi at the UN sidelines. "Steve and Jared had a very productive meeting today with mediators of Iran," Trump said later, per Axios.
A State Department official told The National that Trump holds "all the cards" in dealings with Iran, framing the US president in an advantageous position after the surprise announcement of new negotiations.
The contradictory signals—public threats paired with private diplomacy—leave uncertainty about Washington's true strategy. The revelation that backchannel talks occurred without public acknowledgment raises questions about what progress, if any, was made and whether the Trump administration is genuinely pursuing diplomatic resolution or using negotiations as leverage for a tougher stance.
Sources: 1. BBC World: Trump threatens to 'annihilate' Iran in UN speech as officials from both countries meet on sidelines — https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c52e0ywl9pr7o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss (src1) 2.