Urdu Report Desk
The United States and Iran held lengthy discussions on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, with Iranian officials presenting new conditions during talks facilitated through intermediaries.
US President Donald Trump said Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner had a “very constructive meeting” with Iranian officials, while stressing that a major obstacle remained in reaching an agreement with Tehran.
Nuclear Issue Remains Key Obstacle
Trump said Iran could not have nuclear weapons and warned that the United States could target a facility located in Iran’s mountains if nuclear activities were detected there.
He also said Iran had been a “bad actor” in the Middle East for 51 years but was no longer in that position. Trump added that he believed the war with Iran could end after the US midterm elections.
Witkoff Describes Talks as Constructive
US envoy Steve Witkoff said detailed discussions had taken place with the Iranian delegation through intermediaries. He said the intermediaries had maintained communication and exchanged messages between the US and Iranian delegations throughout the day.
Witkoff said one round of talks had been completed and expressed expectations that the outcome would be constructive and promising.
Iran Confirms Talks Through Mediators
A spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry also confirmed the talks with the United States, saying that discussions with US representatives had taken place through a mediator.
According to Iranian state media, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
Iran Presents Conditions
Iranian officials reportedly presented a set of conditions during the meeting. According to the report, Tehran’s conditions concerning the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz were among the reasons the meeting with Witkoff took place.
Iran reportedly demanded an immediate end to the naval blockade as a condition for reopening the Strait of Hormuz. The conditions also include the restoration of frozen Iranian assets and an end to fighting on all resistance fronts.
