Iran Sets Terms for Talks, Trump Issues Threats Amid UN Meetings

Iran confirmed on Tuesday that its representatives met with U.S. officials on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. According to the "New York Times," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with U.S. officials Steve Witcoff and Jared Kushner. Qatar and Pakistan mediated the meeting, having previously pushed for the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding that U.S. President Donald Trump declared defunct.

Iran agreed to the meeting at Witcoff's request to present its conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, the Iranian Broadcasting Corporation reported. An Iranian source cited by the corporation stated, "Iran made its firm positions clear to the American representative during the meeting: the immediate lifting of the blockade, the immediate release of all frozen assets, and the end of the war on all fronts of resistance are among the conditions for reopening the strait."

Trump, who revealed the meeting to reporters, convened regional leaders and representatives at the UN General Assembly. He described the meeting between Witcoff, Kushner, and Iranian mediators as "very productive" and expressed optimism about reaching an agreement, noting "a lot of momentum." Trump reiterated his belief that a deal with Iran would occur after the U.S. midterm elections but did not rule out an attack on Iran if necessary, warning, "There will be a time when it's too late, and we won't give them a chance to survive as a nation."

Israeli assessments suggest Trump is not seeking escalation with Iran before the midterms, viewing the renewed talks as an attempt to exhaust diplomatic channels. However, the fundamental assessment remains that neither side will concede to the other's demands, with each viewing the other's conditions as a surrender. Israeli officials reportedly believe Araghchi does not fully represent Iran's hardline leadership. Israel is preparing for various scenarios, including a rapid collapse, but the outcome remains uncertain.

Earlier, during his UN address, Trump defended his decision to initiate conflict with Iran alongside Israel in February, claiming Tehran rejected his attempts at a deal to prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons. Trump presented himself as facing a "big decision" on whether to reach an agreement or "destroy" the Islamic Republic, but ultimately predicted a deal post-midterm elections. He emphasized that his focus remains solely on preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, dismissing the midterm elections as irrelevant to his decision-making regarding Iran.