President Donald Trump disclosed in a press conference Tuesday that American representatives met with an Iranian delegation for three hours at the annual United Nations General Assembly in New York City, the first face-to-face meeting between the two sides in months.
The president seemed to say the meeting was “very good” and suggested it was a simple choice for Iran, though he didn’t disclose the details of what was discussed.
“I mean, in one case, it’s obliteration, and the other alternative is potential greatness. It could be a great country,” Trump said.
He remarked at another point in the day that a “relationship is developing” between the U.S. and Iran and that he thought a settlement was “going to be reached.”
April marked the first face-to-face meeting between an American and an Iranian delegation in decades. Vice President JD Vance, joined by Middle East envoy Steve Whitkoff, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and others, met with Iranian representatives in Islamabad, Pakistan, in an effort to negotiate an end to Operation Epic Fury.
Those negotiations eventually produced the Islamabad Memorandum, a 14-point interim agreement signed in June that called for an end to military operations and laid out a 60-day negotiating period for the two countries to reach a broader agreement. Among its provisions, Iran agreed to facilitate the safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, while the U.S. agreed to lift its naval blockade.
The memorandum has since fallen apart, and the U.S. reinstated a full naval blockade on the Islamic Republic, costing the Iranian economy between $400 and $500 million a day, according to the Trump administration.
Since the memorandum crumbled, the two countries have continued to trade attacks, particularly around the strait, while efforts to reach a broader agreement have stalled.
Though the president told the UN General Assembly Tuesday morning that he has a “big decision to make” regarding Iran, questioning whether a deal will be made or not.
“Will a deal be made with Iran?…Or, do I annihilate the Islamic Republic, and do it quickly?” Trump asked. “Do I drive them into hell with no chance of survival and no hope of future greatness for generations?”
Trump continued, saying he believes a deal will be made eventually, citing a timeline tied to November’s midterm elections.
The comments regarding the meeting between the U.S. and Iranian officials came as the president held bilateral talks with various international leaders.
Trump met with newly elected United Kingdom Prime Minister Andy Burnham, marking the first time the two leaders met face-to-face since Burnham moved into 10 Downing Street.
Trump’s relationship with former UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer had become increasingly strained as he criticized Britain and other European allies for declining to provide greater military support in the conflict with Iran, including efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Burnham emphasized Tuesday that Britain was still prepared to “play our part” in the region.
“You know that we’re still ready to play our part in the Middle East in terms of helping you stop the conflict, open the Strait,” Burnham told Trump. “Obviously, we’re with you that Iran must never be a nuclear power.”
He referenced the UK’s decision Monday to provide refueling support for Saudi military aircraft as evidence of Britain’s support.
Under Starmer, however, the UK had offered to assist in reopening the Strait of Hormuz and had also provided defensive military support to Saudi Arabia earlier this year, so it remains unclear whether Burnham will take a substantially different approach to the conflict.
In terms of gas prices, the president said he believed they would come “way down” when the U.S. and Iran end their conflict, though Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the administration is considering a partial or full ban on Russian diesel exports, as well – which the president admitted could have an effect on regular gas prices.
“We’re examining whether it’s feasible in terms of the overall refining capacity and whether a full or partial ban would work,” Bessent said.
In addition, Trump held talks with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
