Iranian FM Araghchi meets Witkoff and Kushner as Trump warns of ‘annihilation’: Report

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, according to reports. The three-hour meeting took place just hours after US President Donald Trump said in his UN address that he was considering whether to pursue a deal with Iran or “annihilate them.”

Araghchi and Witkoff hold mediated talks

Iran was represented by Araghchi, while Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, represented the United States. Iranian officials said that the discussions were conducted through intermediaries, with Qatar among those facilitating contact between the two sides.

Witkoff later confirmed that mediators moved back and forth between the American and Iranian sides throughout the day.

“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, describing the discussions as “constructive and promising.” He further said the mediators would continue their work.

The meeting is considered the first direct US-Iran contact at this level in roughly three months. The previous face-to-face talks took place in June, when US Vice President JD Vance met with Iranian officials in Switzerland.

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Iran sets conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz

The Strait of Hormuz featured prominently in the latest talks. According to Iranian state media, Araghchi outlined Tehran’s conditions for reopening the strategic waterway. These included ending the US naval blockade, unfreezing Iranian assets, and terminating the multi-front war.

The demands come amid a prolonged US conflict with Iran that continues to disrupt energy supplies and drive up fuel prices. The Strait of Hormuz ranks among the world’s most vital routes for global oil shipments.

A senior Iranian official further indicated that Tehran could consider reopening the strait within a week if Washington took reciprocal measures to ease military and economic pressure, The Guardian reported.

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