New York: The United States and Iran held hours of mediated discussions on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, with talks focusing on ending the conflict and reopening the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said mediators shuttled between the two delegations during “lengthy talks,” describing the discussions as constructive and promising.
President Donald Trump said Witkoff and Jared Kushner were part of the US team involved in a three-hour meeting with Iranian officials and mediators. Trump described the meeting as “very good” and said there was “a lot of momentum” toward a possible agreement. The White House clarified that Trump did not attend the meeting.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also met with Witkoff, according to Iranian state media. Tehran reportedly demanded an end to the US naval blockade, the release of frozen Iranian assets and an end to fighting on what it describes as “resistance” fronts.
According to reports, Tehran submitted a proposal through mediators on Sept. 16 and indicated it could reopen the Strait of Hormuz to Gulf shipping within seven days if US military pressure and the blockade were eased.
Qatar and Pakistan have been involved in diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions and address maritime security, while Oman has also played a role in regional diplomacy.
Trump separately met with representatives from Gulf countries, Turkey, Jordan, Syria and Iraq to discuss regional security.
The talks followed Trump’s UN speech in which he warned of continued pressure on Iran while leaving open the possibility of a diplomatic agreement. Tehran has maintained that diplomacy requires US commitments and an end to what it considers coercive measures.
