Iran's Pezeshkian Addresses UN After First US Talks Since June, Trump's 'Annihilation' Threat
Updated
Updated · Financial Times · Sep 23
Iran's Pezeshkian Addresses UN After First US Talks Since June, Trump's 'Annihilation' Threat
3 articles · Updated · Financial Times · Sep 23
Summary
Masoud Pezeshkian is set to address the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, becoming one of the first leaders to speak after arriving in New York amid the Iran war and energy shock.
Tuesday's backdrop was sharply mixed: Donald Trump threatened to "annihilate" Iran if it rejected US terms, yet said US envoys had a "very good meeting" with the Iranian delegation.
Iranian state television said Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi joined the first direct US-Iran talks since late June, with Trump saying further discussions could follow in the near future.
US pressure is already widening beyond diplomacy, with Oman and Azerbaijan halting Iranian airline flights and Iraq banning flights to Baghdad after Washington threatened to shut down Iran's airlines.
Could secret US-Iran talks in New York avert a global energy meltdown, or will the Strait of Hormuz remain a weaponized chokepoint?
Will Washington's aggressive Operation Economic Outcast finally ground Iran's aviation, or simply push Tehran deeper into China's sanctions-proof network?
As US threats escalate, could the resulting oil volatility accidentally trigger a permanent global shift away from Middle Eastern fossil fuels?
September 2026 US-Iran Confrontation at the UN: War, Diplomacy, and the Battle for the Strait of Hormuz
Overview
In September 2026, the ongoing US-Iran war reached a dramatic point when Iranian President Pezeshkian arrived in New York for the UN General Assembly, despite the US imposing strict visa and travel limits on his delegation. The conflict, sparked by joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran, led to Iran closing the Strait of Hormuz, causing global oil prices to surge. Amid these tensions, a UN report accused the US of war crimes for a deadly strike on an Iranian school, fueling fierce diplomatic clashes. However, indirect US-Iran talks about reopening the strait brought a temporary drop in oil prices, even as hardliners in Iran criticized any engagement with Washington.