Iran and US hold first high-level talks in months despite Trump's 'hell' threat

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner on Tuesday at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, marking the first direct US-Iran contact at this level in about three months. The three-hour talks, mediated with Qatar's assistance, came hours after President Donald Trump threatened in his UN speech to either pursue a deal with Iran or "annihilate them." Witkoff described the discussions as "constructive and promising," with mediators shuttling between both sides throughout the day. Iran reportedly conveyed conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, including lifting the US naval blockade, returning frozen assets, and ending the war on multiple fronts. A senior Iranian official suggested Tehran could reopen the strait within a week if Washington reduced military and economic pressure.