Iran’s president speaks at UN after Trump threat and US walkout

In short: Iran’s president addressed the UN General Assembly after Donald Trump threatened Iran, as US and Iranian officials also held fresh talks.

What happened

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian was set to speak to world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Wednesday. This came a day after US President Donald Trump used strong language in his speech, saying he could “annihilate” Iran if it did not accept US terms for a deal to end the fighting.

During Pezeshkian’s speech, the US delegation walked out, according to the additional context provided. The UN General Assembly is a yearly meeting where leaders give speeches and hold side meetings, a bit like a crowded summit where formal talks and hallway conversations happen at the same time.

On Tuesday, senior US officials met members of Iran’s delegation on the sidelines of the UN gathering. Trump said envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner had “a very good meeting” with the Iranian side. Iranian state television reported that foreign minister Abbas Araghchi attended, and said it was the first direct US and Iran talks since late June.

Separately, travel links with Iran tightened. Oman and Azerbaijan stopped Iranian airlines from operating flights to their countries, and Iraq banned flights to its capital, Baghdad. Mahan Air also suspended some routes, including to Istanbul, Ankara, and Muscat.

Why it matters

These developments show both pressure and diplomacy happening at once. If talks break down, more restrictions like flight suspensions and sanctions can make travel, trade, and energy markets more unstable, which can affect prices far beyond the region.

Source: Financial Times