U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sept. 22 he expected an agreement with Iran after November’s congressional elections, while later reporting progress following three hours of talks between U.S. and Iranian delegations.
“I believe we'll make a deal right after the election,” Trump told the 81st session of the U.N. General Assembly.
He said he faced a choice between an agreement allowing Iran to rebuild and destroying the Islamic Republic.
Most members of the Iranian delegation left the hall during his remarks.
Trump later said special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner had participated in three hours of talks with an Iranian delegation in New York.
He described the discussions as “very productive” and said another meeting was planned soon.
Witkoff said the talks took place through mediators who shuttled between the two sides.
Iranian state television said Washington had requested the talks and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had presented Tehran’s conditions, including lifting the U.S. naval blockade, releasing frozen Iranian assets and ending the war on all fronts.
At a separate meeting with Gulf and other regional leaders, Trump said the conflict could end after the midterms, adding “and maybe before.”
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attended that meeting at U.N. headquarters. He later joined a reception Trump hosted for General Assembly delegates at the Lotte Palace Hotel, which was closed to the press.
In his General Assembly address, Trump also thanked Türkiye and other countries for contributions to Gaza relief and reconstruction through his Board of Peace initiative.
He said nearly 30 countries had joined the board and praised member nations for contributing billions of dollars.
He claimed his administration had ended the Gaza war and secured the return of all remaining hostages, both living and dead.
On Ukraine, Trump said he was working with Russian and Ukrainian leaders to end the war, predicting a resolution “more quickly than people understand.”
He repeated his claim to have settled eight wars since taking office.
Separately, the United States, Denmark and Greenland signed a security agreement in New York.
Trump said Washington would establish two large military bases on the island, arguing that the expanded presence would strengthen the security of the United States, Europe and NATO.
The Cuban delegation also walked out during Trump’s speech after he criticized the country’s communist government and predicted its collapse.
Trump further said U.S. documents would use the term “superintelligence” in place of artificial intelligence, arguing that the word “artificial” misleadingly suggested the technology was fake.
