US-Iran Delegations Meet, Trump Issues Harsh Ultimatum to Eliminate Tehran
US officials have held a crucial three-hour meeting with Iranian mediators on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday.
Quoting Reuters on Wednesday (23/09/2026), US President Donald Trump told reporters that the meeting went “very well”. He clarified that US special envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, met with mediators rather than directly with Iranian officials.
“Steve and Jared had a very productive meeting today with Iranian mediators, only mediators,” he explained.
Despite existing lines of communication, Trump used his keynote speech at the UN General Assembly to defend his military stance. He argued that he has prevented Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and urged global allies to isolate Tehran economically. He also predicted that a new peace agreement would be reached following the US midterm elections on 3 November.
“I have a big decision to make. Will there be a deal with Iran that allows them to rebuild and create a nation far greater than before?” he said.
“Or will I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly, never giving them the chance to kill and destroy people and nations again?”
Responding to analysts who suggest that a Democratic takeover of Congress in the midterms could weaken his position in the conflict, Trump dismissed these concerns, asserting that the election would not limit him.
“What they do not realise is that I am not running [for re-election],” Trump stated, referring to the leaders in Tehran.
“I have already done it, and won decisively. We won decisively, and I will be here for another two and a half years.”
Condemning the ICC and Issues with Neighbouring Nations
Trump’s hardline speech at the UN comes less than a week after a UN fact-finding mission stated there are strong reasons to believe US forces committed war crimes in two attacks in Iran. One of the deadly attacks reportedly hit a primary school in the town of Minab.
Responding to this pressure, Trump renewed his criticism of the International Criminal Court (ICC), ensuring his forces remain immune to legal prosecution. Outside the UN headquarters, dozens of anti-Iranian government protesters also gathered to demand democracy.
“We will never allow members of the US military or anyone to be unfairly investigated or tried by an anti-American court that has no jurisdiction over us,” he declared.
Regarding neighbouring regions, Trump labelled Mexico as a “hub of cartel violence” and urged his government to reclaim control of the nation. He also announced efforts to pursue fundamental changes in Cuba, which prompted the Cuban delegation to walk out of the assembly in protest.
“It is a truly failed state, failed like never before, and it will fall,” he said.
“Our actions in Venezuela are proof that the United States will no longer allow threats to America to gain a foothold anywhere in the Western Hemisphere.”
While his performance was deemed less dramatic than in 2025, Trump also criticised the UN bureaucracy. Regarding the issue of Artificial Intelligence (AI) ahead of the UN Security Council meeting, he asserted that he would not hinder technological growth, which he believes will be greater than the Industrial Revolution.
This speech marks the beginning of a series of high-level diplomatic engagements for Trump. He has already held meetings with UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham, whom he praised as a natural businessman, to discuss trade and the Ukraine conflict. Trump also met with Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi to reaffirm the US-Japan alliance in Asia, and discussed solutions to end Russian attacks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, before his scheduled meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington later this weekend.