On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump cautioned that he could destroy Iran if no agreement is reached to end the conflict, while also indicating that a deal might be achieved soon as diplomatic efforts intensify at the United Nations.
"I have a big decision to make," Trump said in a speech at the UN General Assembly in New York.
"Will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before?... Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again?"
In a Tuesday statement, Iran's Armed Forces rejected Trump's remarks at the UN as mere "propaganda," declaring that they stand fully prepared to deliver harsher, devastating, and unforeseen strikes against any aggressors.
Amid the intense rhetoric, talks continued in an attempt to end the nearly seven-month conflict, which started with coordinated US-Israeli attacks and has since killed thousands, driven up oil prices, and drawn neighboring countries into the fighting.
In a post on X, US envoy Steve Witkoff stated that the United States and Iran held extensive discussions on Tuesday on the margins of the UN General Assembly, conducted via mediators who moved back and forth between the two delegations throughout the day.
Trump also held talks with leaders from Middle Eastern nations eager to resume shipping through the Strait of Hormuz—which previously carried one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas exports before the war—but they remain cautious about granting their long-standing rival, Iran, excessive influence.
Many of them also house large U.S. military bases that have been repeatedly targeted by Iran during the war.
"We believe the situation with Iran might be resolved right after the November 3 midterm elections, or perhaps even earlier. I’m not sure you can never tell," Trump said while meeting with the leaders.
The diplomatic efforts unfold as Trump confronts mounting challenges on several fronts, increasing energy prices domestically, an expanding regional conflict overseas, and midterm elections just six weeks away that could alter his political fortunes.
The outcome of the talks, whether they yield an agreement or the war intensifies, will have significant implications for global oil markets, security in the Gulf, and the lives of millions of Iranians.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi held talks with Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, whose government has spent months working to ease the conflict, according to the Qatari state news agency.
A high-ranking Iranian official stated that Tehran could restore access to the Strait of Hormuz within seven days if the United States reduced its military pressure and removed the blockade on Iran’s ports.
Reaffirming Iran's unwavering stance, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, who led Iran's negotiating team in earlier talks, declared that the country would never yield, stating: "Trump must realize that he cannot force his will upon the Iranian people or their armed forces."
