Iran rejects Trump's UN threat as sign of US 'strategic dead end'

Iran's armed forces on Wednesday dismissed US President Donald Trump's threat to "annihilate" the Islamic Republic as a sign of "strategic desperation," warning Tehran is ready to respond with more crushing attacks. The statement, carried by Iran's Mehr news agency, accused Trump of using the UN podium to justify US aggression, saying his words demonstrate America's "strategic deadend" against Iran. It followed Trump's Tuesday UN General Assembly address threatening annihilation if no deal ends the nearly seven-month war. Trump also said US officials Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met Iranian representatives at the UN, calling it "a very good meeting," though he noted they were "not the highest level." Iran's armed forces earlier dismissed the remarks as "propaganda."