US, Iran Hold First Direct Talks in Months After Trump Threatens ‘Annihilation’

US President Donald Trump revealed Tuesday that American and Iranian officials held three hours of direct talks in New York – the first such face-to-face negotiations in months – just hours after he threatened at the UN to “annihilate” the Islamic Republic if no deal is reached. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met Trump envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential adviser Jared Kushner on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, in a potential reopening of diplomatic channels after negotiations stalled earlier this year.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. “They had a very good meeting, a very productive meeting,” Trump told reporters during a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky. “They have another one scheduled in the very near future.” Trump later told Gulf leaders gathered at the UN that there was “a lot of momentum” toward reaching an agreement with Tehran. The talks came only hours after Trump delivered a stark ultimatum to Iran from the UN General Assembly podium. “I have a big decision to make – will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country?” Trump said. “Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again?” Trump also asked whether the US should “drive them into hell with no chance of survival” if negotiations fail. Most members of the Iranian delegation walked out during his remarks. Other Topics of Interest Trump’s Message to Putin: ‘Settle the War’ Trump said his team is working very closely with Ukrainian and Russian authorities, adding that a ceasefire might happen “more quickly than people understand.” Iranian media reported that Araghchi presented Washington with conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic waterway that has become a central issue in negotiations to end the conflict. According to Iranian state media, Tehran’s demands included lifting the US naval blockade, releasing frozen Iranian assets and ending fighting involving Iran-aligned forces across the region, AFP reported. Witkoff declined to provide details of the discussions but told reporters he felt “very good” following the meeting. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is scheduled to address the UN General Assembly on Wednesday. The New York talks were the first high-level face-to-face discussions between the sides since negotiations in Switzerland in June, when Vice President JD Vance joined Witkoff and Kushner for talks with Iranian representatives aimed at implementing an interim agreement and addressing the Strait of Hormuz. That process failed to produce a lasting settlement, and fighting subsequently resumed. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.