Trump Threatens to Annihilate Iran at UN While Confirming Mediated Talks, Xi Heads to Washington

President Donald Trump used his address to the United Nations General Assembly on September 23 to issue a stark warning to Iran, saying he was weighing whether to "annihilate" the country and drive it "into hell," while also leaving open the path to a deal that would let Iran rebuild. Trump predicted any agreement would not come until after November's midterm elections, saying he believes Iran is waiting to see how he performs at the polls.

Hours after the speech, Trump confirmed that U.S. and Iranian envoys had met for roughly three hours on the UNGA sidelines through mediators, calling the talks "very good." U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff described them as "lengthy talks" conducted through intermediaries, marking a notable diplomatic signal even as the U.S.-Iran conflict continues.

Also on the margins of the General Assembly, Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Zelensky described the meeting as "positive and productive" and said the two discussed potential de-escalatory steps toward diplomacy. Patriot missiles, including a winter package and licenses for Ukraine to produce them domestically, were on Zelensky's agenda, but Reuters reported no commitments were made.

Separately, Chinese President Xi Jinping skipped the General Assembly but traveled to Washington for a state visit, with Trump welcoming him for talks on Wednesday. Expectations for breakthroughs on tariffs, trade and AI were described as low, though analyst Chris Rossbach of J. Stern said direct dialogue creates hope for progress on those big issues. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker publicly criticized Trump's decision to host Xi, citing concerns about China's military posture toward the United States. Elon Musk added to the week's diplomatic backdrop by praising Xi and Chinese AI models ahead of the state visit, calling Xi "a great leader."