Iran’s Araghchi meets Trump’s son-in-law, aide Witkoff in New York as US President warns of ‘annihilation’

Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi held talks with US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday.Abbas Araghchi and Steve Witkoff held talks in New York with Qatari mediation. (AP)The three-hour discussions came after US President Donald Trump, in his UNGA speech, said he was weighing whether to pursue a deal with Iran to end the ongoing war or “annihilate them.”Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is scheduled to address the UNGA on Wednesday.Araghchi, Witkoff meet through mediatorsThe Tuesday discussions saw Araghchi representing Tehran, while Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Kushner joined for Washington. Qatar was among the mediators facilitating communication between the two sides, Iranian foreign ministry said.Witkoff said the mediators shuttled between the US and Iranian delegations during the day before the discussions were completed.ALSO READ | Turkish President Erdogan raises Kashmir issue in UNGA speech: 'Should be addressed through dialogue'“Today, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, we engaged in lengthy talks with the Iranian delegation through the mediators,” Witkoff said on X. He said the discussions were “constructive and promising” and said the mediators would continue their work.Trump later described the meeting as “very good”, “very productive” and said another round of discussions was expected soon. He also said there was “a lot of momentum” towards a possible agreement, Reuters reported.The meeting was the first direct US-Iran contact at this level in about three months. The previous face-to-face discussions took place in June, when US vice president JD Vance met Iranian officials in Switzerland.Iran sets conditions over Strait of HormuzThe Strait of Hormuz was in focus in the latest discussions. Araghchi conveyed Tehran's conditions for reopening the strategic waterway, Iranian state media reported. These included lifting the US naval blockade, returning frozen Iranian assets and ending the war on multiple fronts.The demands come as the prolonged US war on Iran continues to affect energy supplies and fuel prices. The Hormuz Strait is one of the world's most important routes for oil shipments.ALSO READ | ‘Make a deal or annihilate Iran?’ Trump lays out his options in UNGA speechA senior Iranian official also indicated that Tehran could consider reopening the strait within a week if Washington took reciprocal steps to reduce military and economic pressure, according to The Guardian.Trump threatens Iran, againThe diplomatic contact took place after Trump's strongly worded address to the UNGA.“I have a big decision to make -- will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country?” the 80-year-old said in his speech, during which all but one member of the Iranian delegation walked out. “Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again? Do I drive them into hell with no chance of survival?”He also said he expected Iran could move towards a deal after the November US midterm elections.The US president has repeatedly said Washington would not allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon. At the same time, his administration has been seeking terms for ending the war and resolving the dispute over the Strait of Hormuz.Iran condemns Trump's remarksIran on Tuesday condemned Trump’s remarks. Iran’s military authorities said the US president’s statements were “merely a tool for domestic propaganda”.“The hostile statements & repeated threats by the US president against Iran, accompanied by the use of the UN platform to justify aggression, create insecurity and engage in piracy around the world, are, before being based on realities on the ground, merely a tool for domestic propaganda,” the statement said.Talks follow months of deadlockThe latest meeting comes after negotiations between Washington and Tehran repeatedly stalled. The war began on February 28 after the US and Israel bombed Iran and assassinated their Supreme Leader and other top officials. Iran retaliated with strikes on US bases in the Gulf. An April ceasefire has failed to hold.Trump initially predicted that his war would end within weeks, but the fighting has continued for more than six months.(Wit inputs from Reuters, AP)