Trump reveals US-Iran UN talks while warning Tehran of annihilation

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that American and Iranian officials held a meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, an unexpected contact that came even as he warned in his address to world leaders that he may "annihilate" the Islamic Republic if no deal is reached soon to end the nearly seven-month war.

Trump said his chief envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, met Iranian officials, but he gave few details about the talks or what was discussed. The contact came after months of stalled communication between Washington and Tehran, while Trump also used his UN speech to defend the war and press Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and return to negotiations.

Speaking to reporters, Trump said, "It was a very good meeting." He later added that the Iranian officials were "not the highest level, but it's something." The engagement followed the collapse of a short-lived ceasefire brokered in June. In early July, US and Iranian negotiators held separate indirect talks in Doha with Qatari and Pakistani mediators.

Earlier in the day, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Trump was open to meeting Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian during the New York visit. "This is a president that will meet with anybody for the most part, because he believes that engaging with people is important if you're going to solve problems," Rubio said on NBC's Today show. "It doesn't mean you're going to end up agreeing with them, but it's important."

Trump also met leaders and senior officials from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan to discuss the way ahead in the war with Iran. In his address to the General Assembly, he said he had shown resolve while other leaders had hesitated, and defended his decision to start the war.

At the same time, Trump suggested he was at a turning point in the conflict. "I have a big decision to make," he said. "Will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before, maybe one of the greatest in the Middle East or even the world. Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again?" He also said, "The terrorist regime is behaving badly, not because they are strong and confident, but because they are weak and desperate." Most of Iran's delegation walked out of the chamber during that part of the speech.

Trump's address also touched on other issues. He praised this year's US military operation that removed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from power, welcomed a new agreement to expand the US military presence in Greenland, and rejected calls for tighter regulation of the artificial intelligence industry. After the speech, he met Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and signed the new security agreement. Trump said the US would immediately begin developing a larger military presence in Greenland, including "building two very major military bases". Under the deal, Greenland remains Danish territory.

He also held talks with new British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The White House said he was expected to hold a more informal meeting later on Tuesday with Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodriguez. Trump also took part in an event on the Shield of Americas, an initiative launched earlier this year with Latin American countries to combat violent cartels.

Trump's visit to the UN came as his foreign policy, especially his decision to start a war with Iran, has become a burden on fellow Republicans hoping to retain control of both chambers of Congress in the midterm elections. Even so, he argued in his speech that the world was better off under his leadership. "I have no interest in leaving dangers to grow for another day," he said.

In last year's UN address, Trump said the US had "demolished" Iran's nuclear capabilities after he ordered the June 2025 bombardment of three key facilities. He returned to the General Assembly with the war nearing its seven-month mark and said it was necessary to deal with the nuclear threat posed by Iran. The conflict has become more complicated despite US and Israeli strikes killing much of Iran's top leadership and destroying its air force and navy, and despite a US blockade of Iranian oil pushing Tehran into economic hardship.

The war has continued to unsettle energy markets, with oil prices staying high. Saudi Arabia shut a key pipeline earlier this month after it came under attack by Iran-backed militants in Iraq. At the same time, territorial gains by Yemen-based Houthi rebels near the Bab al-Mandab Strait have made the Red Sea route dangerous for oil carriers.

Trump also spoke about Russia's war against Ukraine, which he had said during his 2024 campaign would be resolved on the first day of his second term. He again said he hoped the conflict would end soon. He has also shown impatience over Ukraine's attacks on Russian diesel refineries and Russia's strikes on Ukraine's energy grid, both of which have added to volatility in global oil markets.

Trump said last week he had got both sides to agree not to target each other's energy infrastructure. Zelenskyy said he was willing to accept the plan if Russia followed it. Russia said it could agree only if Western energy sanctions on Moscow were lifted first. The two sides have continued striking refineries and other energy facilities.

Trump noted that he had signed a new sanctions bill targeting Moscow. It allows him to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on the top five importers of Russian oil or natural gas, though he has not yet applied the penalties. "If necessary, I will have to use them," Trump said. "It's time to stop the killing."

Overall, Trump's day at the UN combined renewed contact with Iran, a hard line on the war and a broader display of his foreign policy agenda, with his speech and meetings focused on Iran, energy security, Ukraine and new military arrangements in Greenland.