Trump Threatens to 'Annihilate' Iran in UN Speech as Officials Meet on Sideslines
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Trump threatens to 'annihilate' Iran in UN speech as officials meet on sidelines
By Bernd Debusmann Jr, Khashayar Joneidi, Sarah Smith and Nada Tawfik
United Nations General Assembly
Published 22 September 2026, 19:48 BST
Updated 23 minutes ago
President Donald Trump has told the United Nations General Assembly he faces a "big decision" on whether to strike Iran again or pursue a peace deal. During his speech on Tuesday in New York, he stated that he could "annihilate" the Islamic Republic if the conflict remained unresolved.
A single member of Iran's delegation was present during Trump's address, which was delivered before a standing-room-only audience. The president also rejected "global government," vowed to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine, and pledged to ensure the US wins the artificial intelligence race.
His speech came on a day filled with high-level diplomacy at the UN, as he met over a dozen world leaders amid ongoing wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, which are testing his foreign policy agenda.
Live coverage of Trump at UN
Trump started by highlighting his achievements on the economy, immigration, border security, and crime reduction, remarks that seemed more tailored to November's US midterm elections than to diplomats in Manhattan. He spent much of his address justifying the war with Iran, arguing that it had prevented Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and demonstrating the value of what he described as "peace through strength" - ultimatums rather than deal-making or compromise.
"Will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before?" Trump asked. "Do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again? Do I drive them into hell?"
Trump suggested that an Iran deal could come right after November's elections. The remarks reflected his foreign-policy strategy of coercive diplomacy - threatening overwhelming force while keeping negotiations open.
Later, Trump told reporters that American officials had a "very productive" three-hour meeting with the Iranian delegation on the sidelines of the general assembly. Iran state TV confirmed that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, although there was no comment from Tehran officials.
The BBC later asked Witkoff how the meeting went as he left the UN building, and he responded with a thumbs up.