WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US Special Envoy Steve Vitkof have held talks on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, the first meeting between the two sides since a June ceasefire falling apart.
The meeting, mediated by Qatar, brought about no breakthrough, but U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters that the discussions were 'very productive.'
Witkoff reportedly said he hopes the first round of talks 'will prove constructive and promising.'
On the other side, Araghchi repeated Iran's demand for the U.S. to stop its 'acts of aggression,' the immediate end of naval blockades, and the release of all frozen Iranian assets, Iranian state media IRIB reported.
Oil prices fell marginally as optimism grew over high-level diplomatic talks and efforts to restore operations at a key pipeline in Saudi Arabia continued.
Brent crude oil was trading below $100 per barrel Wednesday, while the US-traded WTI fell to $90.10.
Representatives of the United States and Iran held talks within hours of Trump's threat to 'annihilate' Iran if the Middle East war remains unresolved.
Trump used his address to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday to defend U.S. military operation against Iran, urging countries to maintain economic pressure on the Iranian regime - and declaring that he now faces a choice between making a deal, or taking far more drastic steps.
Calling Iran 'the number one sponsor of terror,' the President devoted much of his speech to the Islamic Republic, arguing that his Administration had confronted a threat that previous leaders - in the US and abroad - had failed to address.
He told world leaders gathered in the Assembly Hall for the annual General Debate that for 51 years, 'the fanatical Iranian regime' had spread 'carnage and chaos' across the entire Middle East and beyond.
He vowed that he will 'never allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon'.
Trump said his administration had offered Iran economic cooperation in exchange for ending its nuclear program and support for terrorism, but that Tehran had rejected the proposal.
'Then in Operation Midnight Hammer, the US military obliterated their nuclear program beneath mountains of rubble.'
The President went on to claim that subsequent military operations had severely weakened Iran's military capabilities.
Trump presented two choices in front of him: 'Will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before?'
'Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic' and 'drive them into hell with no chance of survival and no hope of future greatness.'
Trump predicted an agreement would eventually be reached, right after the mid-term elections in November. 'I believe we'll make a deal.'
Calling for continued international unity, he urged countries to support the 'complete economic isolation of Iran' until it ended attacks on commercial shipping and support for terrorism.
Turning to broader foreign policy, Trump said he had helped bring an end to eight conflicts since returning to office.
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