Trump gives Iran choice between deal and ‘annihilation’

US President Donald Trump warned Iran that it could face further military action, including what he described as the “annihilation” of the Islamic Republic, while US and Iranian officials held lengthy talks on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Addressing the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, Trump said he faced a choice between reaching a deal with Tehran and launching further military action, saying Iran could either rebuild through an agreement or be driven “into hell.”

However, Trump also indicated that diplomacy remained possible, saying he believed a deal with Iran could be reached after the US midterm elections. The remarks came as American and Iranian representatives held a three-hour meeting through mediators, according to BBC, CNN and Al Jazeera.

Trump later described the meeting as “very productive,” while US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff said the two sides had completed a round of discussions that he hoped would prove “constructive and promising.”

Iranian state media confirmed that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met Witkoff. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said the talks were conducted through a Qatari mediator, with Tehran presenting conditions that included an end to the conflict and what it described as an end to US “acts of aggression.”

Witkoff later said on X that mediators had shuttled between the two sides throughout the day and would continue their efforts.

Trump devoted a significant portion of his UN speech to defending the US military campaign against Iran, arguing that the conflict had prevented Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. He framed the action as an example of what he called “peace through strength.”

The president also addressed other major foreign-policy issues, saying he expected to help end the Russia-Ukraine war despite continued fighting between the two sides. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in New York on Wednesday.

Trump also rejected calls for what he described as “global government” and pledged that the US would maintain its lead over China in artificial intelligence.

On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Trump met a number of world leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and leaders from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman.

His meeting with Arab and Islamic leaders focused on developments in the Middle East and efforts to strengthen regional security and stability, according to the UAE foreign minister.