Trump threatens to 'annihilate' Iran in UN speech as officials meet on sidelines
President Donald Trump threatened to annihilate Iran during his United Nations General Assembly address unless a deal ends the nearly seven-month war. Despite the harsh rhetoric, U.S. and Iranian delegations held an unexpected meeting on the sidelines on Tuesday, marking their first talks since June. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian responded in his own UN speech by declaring that Tehran would never surrender, bow its head, or bend at the knee in the face of U.S. military pressure and sanctions, while still maintaining that the country believes in diplomacy.
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- ✓ President Donald Trump threatened to annihilate Iran during his speech to the United Nations General Assembly.
- ✓ U.S. and Iranian officials met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday.
- ✓ Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that Tehran would never surrender or bend at the knee.
What changed
U.S. and Iranian officials held their first direct talks since June on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly shortly after Trump issued his annihilation threat.
Live updates
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Trump Threatens Iran With Annihilation at UN
President Donald Trump threatened to annihilate Iran during his United Nations General Assembly address unless a deal ends the nearly seven-month war. Despite the harsh rhetoric, U.S. and Iranian delegations held an unexpected meeting on the sidelines on Tuesday, marking their first talks since June. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian responded in his own UN speech by declaring that Tehran would never surrender, bow its head, or bend at the knee in the face of U.S. military pressure and sanctions, while still maintaining that the country believes in diplomacy.
Why it matters
The confrontation at the UN General Assembly underscores the volatile state of relations between Washington and Tehran as an ongoing conflict drags on toward its seventh month. Other world leaders largely avoided addressing the Iran crisis during their remarks, leaving the high-stakes dispute centered directly between the two adversarial administrations. The sudden diplomatic engagement on the sidelines signals that backchannels remain active even amid extreme public posturing.
What is confirmed
- President Donald Trump threatened to annihilate Iran during his speech to the United Nations General Assembly.
- U.S. and Iranian officials met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday.
- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that Tehran would never surrender or bend at the knee.
What to watch next
- Whether the U.S. and Iranian delegations will schedule further sideline meetings to negotiate an end to the war.
- Any official updates regarding the terms of a potential peace deal between Washington and Tehran.
confidence 100%Sources used for this update (13)
- CNN — Fact check: Trump’s false claims to the United Nations
- bbc.com — Trump threatens to 'annihilate' Iran in UN speech as officials meet on sidelines
- WBAL-TV — Fact-check: President Donald Trump misleads on Iran war, AI in speech to UN
- The Hill — 5 takeaways from Trump’s whirlwind day at UN General Assembly
- The New York Times — Trump Threatens Annihilation in Iran in UN Speech and Lays Out Winner-Takes-All Vision
- The New York Times — As Trump Lobs Threats, Other World Leaders Mostly Avoid Talk of Iran
- PBS — Fact-checking Trump's speech to the 2026 United Nations General Assembly
- www.cbsnews.com — Iran War Updates: U.S. and Iran hold first talks since June after Trump threatens regime with annihilation
- tucson.com — Pezeshkian: Iran won't surrender, after Trump's threat
- www.nbcnews.com — Trump’s Iran threat at the U.N. and Ole Miss students found dead: Morning Rundown
- www.timesfreepress.com — Trump says US and Iranian officials met Tuesday, shortly after warning he may 'annihilate' Iran
- www.spokesman.com — Iranian leader vows not to ‘bend at the knee’ after Trump threat
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