Trump threatens to 'annihilate' Iran in UN speech as US-Iran officials meet on sidelines

US President Donald Trump delivered a stark warning to Iran during his UN General Assembly address, asking whether a deal could be reached allowing the country to rebuild into a greater nation, or whether he would instead 'annihilate' the Islamic Republic and 'drive them into hell.' He said he believed a deal with Iran would come shortly after November's elections, describing his approach as 'peace through strength' — threatening overwhelming force while keeping negotiations open.

Trump later told reporters that American officials had a 'very productive' three-hour meeting with the Iranian delegation on the sidelines of the assembly. Iranian state television confirmed Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, though Tehran offered no official comment. When asked by the BBC how the meeting went, Witkoff responded with a thumbs up.

Ukraine, AI and other topics

In his speech, Trump again predicted his diplomacy would end Russia's war in Ukraine, despite continued tit-for-tat missile and drone strikes between the two sides. He said he was working closely with both countries' leaders and expected a resolution sooner than people expect.

Trump also downplayed concerns about artificial intelligence, vowing the US would not cede its lead to China, and suggested the term 'super intelligence' better captures the technology than 'artificial intelligence.'

On the sidelines, Trump signed an agreement with the leaders of Denmark and Greenland reaffirming Greenland's sovereignty while granting the US broad access to the island's airspace and territory to expand its military presence.

In his address, Trump criticised the UN, accusing it of pursuing a 'far-left agenda' driven by unelected globalist bureaucrats, and emphasised national sovereignty and American military strength. He warned the US would not tolerate threats establishing themselves in the Western hemisphere, and accused Cuba's communist government of cultivating ties with left-wing groups in the US. The Cuban delegation walked out as Trump called the island a 'failed state.'