NEW YORK – UNITED NATIONS – September 23, 2026 (STL.News) President Donald Trump used his address to the United Nations General Assembly Tuesday to present Iran with what he described as two possible paths — an agreement that could allow the country to rebuild economically or further U.S. military action against the Islamic Republic — while predicting that Washington and Tehran ultimately will reach a settlement.
Trump’s remarks before the 81st session of the U.N. General Assembly in New York were among his strongest public warnings to Tehran during the ongoing conflict.
But developments only hours after the speech added a diplomatic dimension to the confrontation.
Trump later said U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner participated in approximately three hours of talks involving Iranian representatives and mediators in New York. The president subsequently said he believed momentum was developing toward an agreement.
The combination of a severe military warning and ongoing negotiations put the future of the U.S.-Iran conflict at the center of this year’s gathering of world leaders.
Trump Presents Iran With Two Paths
Trump devoted a significant portion of his U.N. address to Iran.
The president said his administration had previously offered Tehran economic cooperation in exchange for ending its nuclear program and support for terrorism.
Iran rejected that characterization of the dispute and has maintained that its nuclear activities are not intended to produce a nuclear weapon.
Trump then framed the decision facing Washington in unusually stark terms.
“Will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before” Trump asked, before contrasting that possibility with the prospect of the United States using overwhelming military force against the Islamic Republic.
Trump used the word “annihilate” when describing the second possibility.
The president nevertheless predicted that an agreement would eventually emerge.
“I believe we’ll make a deal right after the election,” Trump said, referring to the U.S. midterm elections scheduled for Nov. 3.
Trump claimed Iranian leaders were waiting to see how Republicans performed in those elections. Iran has not publicly confirmed that characterization of its negotiating strategy.
Nuclear Weapons Remain Central Issue
Trump reiterated his longstanding position that Iran cannot be permitted to acquire a nuclear weapon.
“The only thing that does is that Iran will never have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said while discussing the factors influencing his decision.
The nuclear issue has remained central to negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
Trump said his administration had opened negotiations after he returned to office and offered economic cooperation in return for changes to Iran’s nuclear activities and regional policies.
The president also accused Iran of supporting terrorism and attacks on commercial shipping.
Those allegations form part of the broader dispute between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear program, sanctions, regional military activity and control of critical shipping routes.
U.S. and Iran Hold Talks After Speech
The diplomatic picture changed significantly later Tuesday.
Trump told reporters that American representatives had been talking with Iran and said he believed they would eventually reach a settlement.
“They want to talk to us,” Trump said later in the day. “They have been talking to us, even today.”
Trump said Witkoff and Kushner participated in talks connected to Iran during the U.N. gathering.
Axios reported that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi participated from the Iranian side and that Qatar played a mediating role.
Trump described the discussions as productive and said he believed there was momentum toward an agreement.
The talks reportedly lasted about three hours.
The discussions were significant because they marked renewed high-level diplomatic engagement, even as the two governments remain locked in a military and economic confrontation.
Neither side announced a comprehensive agreement following the meeting.
Strait of Hormuz Remains Central to Negotiations
Any settlement could have consequences extending well beyond the United States and Iran.
The Strait of Hormuz remains a major focus because of its importance to global energy transportation.
Iran has outlined conditions for reopening the strategic waterway, while the United States and Gulf countries have sought the restoration of reliable commercial shipping.
The Guardian reported Wednesday that Iran disputed suggestions it had abandoned its previous conditions during the New York discussions. Tehran has said it could reopen the Strait within days if its conditions are satisfied.
The details remain under negotiation.
Any restoration of normal shipping through Hormuz could have significant implications for global oil supplies and prices.
Energy markets have experienced substantial volatility during the conflict as traders assess the risk of supply interruptions across the Middle East.
Trump Calls for Continued Pressure on Iran
Trump’s diplomatic comments did not mean his administration was abandoning economic pressure.
During his U.N. address, the president called for continued international pressure on Tehran.
His administration has already launched what it calls Operation Economic Outcast, an effort designed to isolate Iran financially and restrict revenue available to the Iranian government.
The White House has described the policy as giving Tehran a choice between international economic isolation and a return to normal economic relations if an agreement can be reached.
The administration has also imposed additional restrictions targeting Iranian aviation and other economic sectors.
Iran argues that U.S. sanctions and military pressure are coercive and has demanded changes in American policy as part of negotiations.
Pezeshkian Arrives in New York
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in New York Tuesday night for the General Assembly.
Before departing Iran, Pezeshkian said he intended to defend his country’s position during the international gathering.
His presence creates another important diplomatic focal point as negotiations continue.
Pezeshkian has supported negotiations with Washington but has also expressed skepticism about U.S. commitments and criticized the use of military pressure during diplomatic talks.
Iranian officials maintain that any agreement must address Tehran’s demands as well as American concerns.
Those competing positions mean talks should not be interpreted as evidence that a final settlement is imminent.
Trump’s Speech Mixes Pressure and Diplomacy
Trump’s U.N. address demonstrated the dual strategy his administration is currently pursuing toward Iran.
On one side is military and economic pressure.
On the other is an offer of negotiations that Trump says could allow Iran to rebuild and reenter the international economy under an agreement acceptable to Washington.
Whether those approaches produce a settlement remains uncertain.
The three-hour discussions in New York suggest diplomatic channels remain active, but major disagreements over Iran’s nuclear activities, sanctions, regional security and the Strait of Hormuz have not been publicly resolved.
Trump’s prediction that an agreement could emerge after the November elections is also a prediction, not an announced diplomatic timetable.
For now, the most significant development may be that negotiations are occurring at all.
Within hours of delivering one of his strongest warnings to Iran from the U.N. podium, Trump was publicly discussing talks between American and Iranian representatives and saying he believed a settlement eventually would be reached.
That contrast — between the threat of additional military force and the possibility of an economic and diplomatic agreement — defined Trump’s message on Iran at the United Nations.
This is a developing story. STL.News will update this report as the United States, Iran, or other parties involved in the negotiations release additional verified information.
Read World News at STL.News
