US President Donald Trump used a United Nations address to issue an unusually stark warning to Iran, saying he was unsure whether a negotiated peace would be possible or whether he would need to "annihilate" the country. The remarks underscored a confrontational tone from Washington even as diplomatic contacts were taking place.
Officials from the United States and Iran met separately on the margins of the UN gathering, according to delegates, in what appeared to be low-profile exchanges alongside the president's more public, combative rhetoric. The juxtaposition of direct threats in a public speech and quieter discussions in corridors of the UN highlighted two parallel strands of engagement.
The US and Iran have long been at odds over a range of strategic and political issues, and high-profile statements by leaders tend to reverberate across the region and in international capitals. In this case, the president framed the situation as a choice between diplomacy and force, without specifying what steps he would take if diplomacy failed.
The comments are likely to complicate efforts by other countries and international organisations to mediate or otherwise reduce tensions. Observers say inflammatory language from national leaders can make behind-the-scenes diplomacy more difficult by hardening public expectations and narrowing negotiators' room for manoeuvre.
For now, both the public threat and the sidelined meetings are part of an evolving diplomatic picture. It remains unclear whether the on-the-ground contacts will produce any substantive progress toward de-escalation, or how the president's remarks will influence next steps taken by Washington, Tehran or other parties involved.