Trump At UNGA81 Threatens To ‘Annihilate’ Iran, Warns Of ‘Hell’ Without Deal

• US President Donald Trump has threatened to “annihilate” Iran if Tehran refuses to reach an agreement with Washington, presenting world leaders at the 81st United Nations General Assembly with a stark choice between a negotiated settlement and intensified military pressure against the Islamic Republic.

• Trump said he believes a deal with Iran could be reached after the November US midterm elections, while insisting that the elections would not influence his determination to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

• The threat came as Washington kept the door open to diplomacy, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicating that the United States was prepared to meet Iranian officials on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

• The Strait of Hormuz remains at the centre of the confrontation, with Iran and the United States maintaining opposing positions over the strategic waterway and maritime blockade.

September 22, () – United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened to “annihilate” Iran if Tehran fails to reach an agreement with Washington, telling world leaders at the 81st United Nations General Assembly that the Islamic Republic faces a choice between a negotiated settlement and further escalation.

Trump made the threat while outlining his administration’s actions against Iran and defending the military campaign that has brought Washington and Tehran into confrontation.

He said the United States was weighing whether to pursue an agreement that would allow Iran to rebuild and develop economically or intensify pressure on Tehran, warning that the alternative could mean driving the country “into hell”.

“Will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before? Maybe one of the greatest in the Middle East or even the world. Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic, and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again?” Trump said.

The US president, however, said he believed a deal would eventually be reached after the November midterm elections, arguing that Tehran was waiting to see the outcome of the elections before deciding whether to negotiate.

Trump insisted that the elections would have no bearing on his policy towards Iran, stressing that his overriding concern was to prevent the country from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

“What they don’t realise is that I’m not running,” he said, adding that he would not give electoral considerations any weight when dealing with Iran. The only thing that does is that Iran will never have a nuclear weapon,” he declared.

United States President Donald Trump threatens to “annihilate” Iran if Tehran fails to reach an agreement with Washington

US Keeps Door Open to Talks

Trump’s threat came as Washington simultaneously signalled that diplomacy remained possible.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States was open to meeting Iranian officials on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, although no meeting had been formally arranged. Trump has also said he remains open to discussions with Tehran.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in New York for the UN gathering and is scheduled to address world leaders on Wednesday.

Trump, however, is expected to leave New York before Pezeshkian’s address and return to Washington, where he is scheduled to host Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Pezeshkian’s presence at the UN allows Tehran to present its position directly to the international community and engage with countries seeking an end to the conflict.

Iran has called for an end to the war and military action against the country and its regional allies, while demanding the lifting of the blockade imposed on its ports.

Hormuz at Centre of Crisis

The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the principal pressure points in the confrontation between Washington and Tehran.

The strategic waterway, linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman, is a major route for global oil and gas shipments.

Trump told the General Assembly that the United States Navy had escorted more than one billion barrels of oil through the strait, while praising the UN Security Council for adopting a resolution condemning attacks on commercial shipping.

“I want to thank the UN Security Council for voting overwhelmingly to pass a resolution condemning Iran’s despicable terrorist attacks on commercial shipping,” Trump said.

He claimed that US naval forces were moving increasing numbers of vessels through the waterway, saying the United States was taking “22, 25, 30, 32 and 37 ships” through the strait on different days.

The remarks came amid continuing disruption to commercial shipping through Hormuz, with the conflict raising concerns about energy supplies, freight costs and the wider global economy.

Iran has blocked the waterway since the beginning of the conflict, while Washington has maintained a counter-blockade of Iranian ports and intensified economic pressure on Tehran.

The reopening of Hormuz has consequently become a major issue in any potential diplomatic settlement.

Tehran Seeks End to War

Iran has demanded an end to military operations against the country and its regional allies as part of any move towards a diplomatic settlement.

The Iranian leadership is also seeking the lifting of the blockade imposed on its ports and relief from the wider economic pressure imposed by Washington.

Tehran’s position has made the Strait of Hormuz a key bargaining point in the conflict, with Iranian officials linking the restoration of normal maritime traffic to an easing of US military and economic pressure.

The confrontation has also raised fears of a wider regional escalation should diplomatic efforts fail.

Pezeshkian is expected to use his UN appearance to press Iran’s case and call for an end to what Tehran regards as US and Israeli aggression.