Iran and US hold first direct talks since June

Iran and the United States held their first direct talks since June, with a meeting lasting about three hours on Tuesday, September 22, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. US envoy Steve Witkoff announced further meetings after the discussions. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi led the delegation, with Qatar serving as mediator. Witkoff expressed satisfaction with the meeting, which focused on the Middle East situation. The talks followed a June trip by Vice President JD Vance to Switzerland to negotiate a memorandum of understanding. Iran reportedly seeks to return to diplomacy, offering to reopen the Strait of Hormuz if Washington eases military and economic pressure. However, the Iranian delegation largely walked out during President Donald Trump's speech calling Iran the "world's number one terrorist organization."