US and Iranian officials hold direct talks in New York as Trump issues UN ultimatum

Direct talks on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly

US and Iranian officials met for three hours in New York on Tuesday during the United Nations General Assembly, marking the first direct diplomatic contact between the two nations since June. US President Donald Trump stated to reporters that the discussions went very well, while Iranian state media confirmed that the session took place following a request from US special envoy Steve Witkoff. Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner represented the American delegation. Reporting from the New York Times and Axios, citing regional and government officials, identified Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi as the senior Iranian participant. The talks were mediated by Pakistan and Qatar, who have pushed for regional de-escalation. Speculation had also emerged before the assembly over a possible meeting between Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who is scheduled to address the UN, though officials did not confirm any presidential encounter.

Iranian demands and the Strait of Hormuz

Diplomatic exchanges focused on establishing a framework for peace, with transit through the Strait of Hormuz serving as the core dispute. Iranian state broadcaster IRIB reported that Araghchi presented specific conditions for reopening the strategic waterway. Tehran demanded the immediate lifting of the US naval blockade operating off the Iranian coast, the unfreezing and release of all blocked Iranian financial assets, and a complete cessation of the war across all operational fronts. Direct negotiations had remained frozen since June, when a preliminary framework signed in Switzerland collapsed under renewed military tensions.

Trump delivers ultimatum during general debate

In a forty-minute address to the UN General Assembly, Trump alternated between listing domestic achievements and issuing an ultimatum to the Iranian government. He framed Tehran's future as a choice between a negotiated settlement that restores economic prosperity and complete military devastation.

“If Iran chooses war, the republic will end up in hell, with no chance of survival and no hope of future greatness or subsequent generations.”

Trump read primarily from a teleprompter, thanking the UN Security Council twice and commending Denmark regarding a recent compromise over Greenland. However, he directed sharp criticism at international bodies, including the International Criminal Court and the UN Human Rights Council, while attacking proposed artificial intelligence regulations by comparing them to climate change research. He also claimed credit for ending eight global conflicts during his tenure.

Military context and domestic political pressures

The armed conflict began on 28 February 2026, when the US launched military strikes to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Although the White House initially intended to conclude the operation within weeks, fighting has extended across nearly seven months, drawing in Gulf states that host American military facilities. The prolonged conflict and associated increases in domestic energy and gasoline prices have created political friction ahead of the US midterm elections on 3 November. Tagesschau cited polling indicating that over 70 percent of US citizens disapprove of Trump's foreign policy approach. Before Trump spoke, outgoing UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva addressed the assembly, calling for international multilateralism over division.