Trump Says US-Iran Talks Were 'Productive' After UN Threat
Trump said US and Iranian officials held a productive meeting and scheduled another, after threatening Iran's annihilation at the UN General Assembly.
US President Donald Trump said American and Iranian officials met on Tuesday, describing the talks as productive and confirming that a further round has been scheduled soon.
Speaking to reporters during a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, Trump said the discussions had gone well but declined to offer details on their substance.
"They had a very good, very productive meeting, and they have another one scheduled in the near future," Trump said, adding that it would be in Iran's interest to reach an agreement. "Certainly it's to their advantage to make a deal. And if we can do that, it's preferable."
Asked whether his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner had taken part, Trump referred the question to them. Witkoff, the US special envoy, said he felt "very good right now" after the meeting.
The talks followed Trump's address to the General Assembly earlier on Tuesday, in which he warned he could "annihilate" the Islamic Republic if a deal is not reached soon to end the nearly seven-month war. In his remarks to reporters, Trump framed the choice before Iran as between "a very bad thing" and an outcome that "could lead to greatness for the country."
Trump also looked ahead to a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this week, calling it "a big deal" and saying "everyone wants to be there." Xi is due to arrive in Washington on Wednesday evening ahead of a state visit and dinner on Thursday, his first visit to the US capital in more than a decade.