Iran's Araghchi meets Trump's son-in-law, aide Witkoff even as US President threatens 'hell'

Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi held talks with US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday.

Abbas Araghchi, Steve Witkoff held talks in New York (AP)The three-hour discussions came hours after US President Donald Trump delivered a hardline UN speech in which he said he was still weighing whether to pursue a deal with Iran or “drive them to hell.”

The Iranian side was represented by Araghchi, while Witkoff and Kushner participated for Washington. Iranian officials said the talks were mediated, with Qatar among those helping facilitate contact between the two sides.

Witkoff later said mediators moved between the American and Iranian sides throughout the day.

“Today, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, we engaged in lengthy talks with the Iranian delegation through the mediators,” Witkoff said on X. He described the discussions as “constructive and promising” and said the mediators would continue their work.

The meeting was believed to be the first direct US-Iran contact at this level in about three months. The previous face-to-face discussions took place in June, when US vice president JD Vance met Iranian officials in Switzerland.

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