US and Iran hold talks but fail to make breakthrough in effort to end war

The United States and Iran held three hours of indirect talks in New York on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, marking the first discussions between the two sides to end the war since a ceasefire collapsed in June.

No breakthrough was reported from Tuesday’s discussions, reportedly mediated by Qatari officials and held on the same day that President Donald Trump told world leaders at the annual meeting that he was considering whether to “annihilate” Iran without a peace deal.

“Do I drive them into hell with no chance of survival and no hope of future greatness for generations?” Trump said. 

Despite the threat of renewed military action to force a deal, Trump appeared optimistic that an agreement would be reached.

“I believe we’ll make a deal right after the elections” in November, Trump said in his remarks. “Certainly, it’s to their advantage to make a deal.”

Steve Witkoff, U.S. special envoy to the Middle East, said mediators “shuttled between the two sides throughout the day.”

Iranian officials also confirmed the negotiations. The Islamic Republic News Agency, Tehran’s official state-backed media outlet, quoted foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei as saying Iran had set conditions for a deal to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Those included an end to fighting on all fronts and a lifting of the U.S. naval blockade and economic sanctions. Baqaei said the Iranian delegation walked out of the assembly in protest of Trump’s speech.

In his remarks, Trump justified the war with Iran, arguing that his administration confronted a threat that previous leaders, including in the U.S. and abroad, had failed to address.

For 51 years, he said, “the fanatical Iranian regime” had spread “carnage and chaos” across the Middle East and beyond. The country’s theocratic government has in fact been in power for 47 years, since the 1979 revolution.

Pressure is mounting on Trump to end the seven-month conflict amid a steady rise in global crude oil prices, which have driven up the cost of fuel and consumer goods in the United States and worldwide.

On Wednesday, a cargo vessel was on fire and adrift with two casualties after being stuck by an unknown projectile, according to a report from U.K. Maritime Trade Operations.

As Trump weighs whether to escalate the war, the rapid advance of Houthi forces in Yemen and their attacks on Saudi Arabia threaten to draw the U.S. into a wider conflict in the region amid Riyadh’s pleas for help.

On Wednesday, the Army sent out a statement saying a soldier serving in Qatar was killed in an incident unrelated to combat. Capt. Bianca C. Wilkerson, 37, was promoted to major after her death Friday, the service said.

The fatality is the 19th listed under the two sections of the Pentagon database covering the Iran war.

Amid the turmoil in the Middle East, Trump faces sagging support from the American public. A survey published Tuesday showed 71% of respondents disapprove of Trump’s foreign policy.

In addition, 70% believe the war against Tehran has harmed U.S. interests, and 75% feel the White House has no clear exit strategy.

The study was conducted by SSRS, an independent research company. In the last SSRS survey prior to the war’s start on Feb. 28, Trump had a 39% approval rating for his handling of foreign affairs.

Crude oil prices fell slightly Wednesday after Trump said the U.S. and Iranian representatives met for “very good talks,” but they rebounded as of midday Wednesday.

Brent crude, the international standard, has been trading for about $100 per barrel. That compares with a prewar price of about $72 per barrel in late February.