US President Donald Trump has threatened to "annihilate" Iran if Tehran fails to reach a deal with Washington, during his address to the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 22, 2026. Trump presented the choice as one between reaching an agreement that would allow Iran to rebuild and taking further military action against the country. The remarks came as representatives of the 193 UN member states gathered for the annual high-level debate.
The Iranian delegation walked out of the chamber as Trump began discussing the conflict, with only one Iranian representative reportedly remaining seated. Trump defended the US military campaign against Iran, saying Washington had acted to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons. He predicted that Iran would eventually agree to a deal, suggesting this could happen after the US midterm elections in November.
Trump's declaration has drawn attention to the principles contained in the United Nations Charter, particularly Article 2(4). The Charter states that UN members shall refrain in their international relations from the "threat or use of force" against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. Trump's public reference to the possible destruction of another UN member state from the General Assembly podium places his remarks in tension with the Charter's principles on peaceful dispute resolution.
Iran's Armed Forces General Staff responded by accusing Trump of using the UN platform to justify US aggression. The military leadership described the threats as evidence of America's "strategic desperation" and warned that Iran was prepared to respond with attacks it said would be more severe than previous strikes. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also rejected the idea of surrender, maintaining that Tehran was not seeking nuclear weapons.
Despite the confrontational language, US and Iranian officials held talks on the sidelines of the General Assembly. Trump said US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner had held a three-hour meeting with Iranian representatives and described it as "very good" and "very productive". The talks focused on possible ways to end the conflict, with the nuclear dispute, sanctions, and the Strait of Hormuz among the issues separating Washington and Tehran.
The strategic Strait of Hormuz has become a major element of the negotiations due to its importance to global energy and maritime trade. Iran has linked the reopening of the waterway to demands including an end to the blockade of its ports, easing of military pressure, and the release of frozen Iranian assets. Washington has pressed for freedom of navigation through the strait alongside progress on the nuclear issue.
The development has placed the UN General Assembly at the center of a sharp diplomatic contradiction: a forum founded on international cooperation and peaceful dispute resolution became the setting for a public threat against another member state. Two parallel tracks are evident in the US-Iran confrontation: increasingly severe public rhetoric and continuing diplomatic contacts.
Key points
- Trump's threat contradicts UN Charter principles on peaceful dispute resolution.
- US and Iranian officials held talks on the sidelines of the General Assembly.
- The Strait of Hormuz remains a key issue in the negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
