US Iran Talks at UN as Hormuz Blockade and Regional Attacks Raise Stakes

By Daniel Harper | Senior U.S. Military, International Affairs & Geopolitical Correspondent
September 23, 2026

US Iran Talks Begin After Trump’s “Annihilate” Warning

U.S. and Iranian officials held hours of discussions in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

The talks came soon after President Donald Trump warned that Iran could face “annihilate” language if no agreement was reached.

However, the diplomatic channel used mediators to pass messages between the two sides. U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff said mediators moved between the American and Iranian delegations.

Trump gave a more direct account. He said Witkoff and Jared Kushner held a three-hour meeting with Iranian officials. Trump also described the talks as productive.

The White House later confirmed that Trump himself did not attend the discussions. Iranian state media also reported contact between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Witkoff.

Therefore, the safest description is a mediated diplomatic channel. Public reporting does not establish a fully direct negotiation involving all of the officials.

No final agreement has been announced. More talks are possible, but the main disputes remain unresolved.

At the same time, Iran says it will not surrender. The U.S. blockade of Iranian ports also remains a major Iranian grievance.

The Strait of Hormuz is another central issue. Shipping remains heavily disrupted, while Houthi attacks involving Saudi Arabia have added pressure elsewhere in the region.

What Happened During the New York US Iran Talks?

The New York channel relied heavily on intermediaries. Qatar has played a major role in carrying messages between Washington and Tehran.

Witkoff said mediators “shuttled” between the two delegations. That wording is important because it does not automatically mean the two sides held one continuous face-to-face negotiation.

Trump said the discussions went well. He also said the talks were productive.

Those comments represent Trump’s assessment. They do not establish that Washington and Tehran have reached common ground on the main disputes.

Iranian officials have also confirmed that diplomacy remains possible. However, Tehran has tied further progress to several conditions.

Iran wants an end to U.S. military pressure. It has also demanded changes involving the blockade, economic pressure and the Strait of Hormuz.

Qatar has continued its diplomatic role. Qatari officials have said the country is working to reduce tensions and protect freedom of navigation through Hormuz.

The United Nations gathering provides an unusual setting for these discussions. Senior officials from many countries are already in New York.

That makes indirect contact easier. It also gives mediators a chance to carry proposals without requiring a formal peace conference.

Still, no public agreement has emerged from the New York discussions.

Iran Refuses to Surrender as Blockade Becomes a Core Issue

Iran has repeatedly rejected calls for surrender. Iranian military officials have also warned that further attacks could bring a stronger response.

Tehran has connected that position to the U.S. military campaign. Iranian officials say Washington must end its military pressure before broader diplomacy can move forward.

The U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports is central to that dispute. Iran has made the lifting of the blockade a key condition for diplomatic progress.

Iran has also linked the blockade to the future of the Strait of Hormuz. Its officials have argued that normal maritime traffic requires an end to the military pressure surrounding Iran.

These are Iranian negotiating positions. They are not agreed terms.

There is no public confirmation that Washington has accepted Iran’s conditions. There is also no confirmed agreement to lift the blockade.

Economic pressure adds another dimension. Restrictions on ports and shipping can affect Iran’s ability to export oil.

Sanctions also limit Iran’s access to international financial and transportation networks. As a result, the military dispute has become an economic dispute as well.

For more background, readers can review the earlier U.S.-Iran crisis surrounding sanctions, UN diplomacy and the Strait of Hormuz.

Strait of Hormuz Remains the Biggest Diplomatic Obstacle

The Strait of Hormuz is at the center of the current dispute.

The narrow waterway connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman. It also carries a major share of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.

Therefore, disruption in Hormuz can affect countries far beyond Iran and the Gulf.

Commercial traffic has fallen sharply during the conflict. Some vessels continue to move through the waterway, but many operators have avoided the route.

Security risks are one reason. Insurance costs and uncertainty over military activity are also important factors.

That means Hormuz is not simply an open-or-closed question. Some ships can still transit while overall traffic remains far below normal levels.

Iran has linked the reopening of the waterway to the lifting of U.S. military pressure. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran could reopen Hormuz within seven days if Washington eased pressure and lifted the blockade.

That statement describes an Iranian position. It does not represent an agreement with the United States.

Washington has focused on freedom of navigation. The United States has also opposed efforts to restrict international shipping through the waterway.

Those positions leave a major gap between the two sides.

For shipping companies, the uncertainty is already significant. Tanker operators must consider security risks, insurance costs and possible delays.

Energy markets are also watching the diplomatic process. Any change in maritime traffic can affect expectations for oil supplies.

Iraq’s Iranian Flight Suspension Adds New Economic Pressure

The pressure on Iran is not limited to ports and shipping.

Iraq has also suspended Iranian airline flights to Baghdad. The decision came after Washington threatened penalties against companies that continue to provide services to sanctioned Iranian aircraft.

Reuters reported that Iraqi authorities ordered the suspension through the country’s civil aviation system.

Iranian aviation authorities also announced changes involving flights to Baghdad and Muscat. Iranian officials said they were working on alternative arrangements for some passengers.

However, Iraq’s decision should not be described as a direct U.S. order.

Baghdad made its own aviation decision after Washington increased pressure on companies serving Iranian airlines.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that companies providing fuel, landing services or ticketing support to Iranian airlines could face serious financial consequences.

The U.S. Treasury had already sanctioned 36 targets connected to Iran’s aviation sector. The action included 27 Iranian airlines.

These restrictions can affect airlines even when aircraft remain operational.

For example, an international airline needs fuel, airport handling, maintenance and payment services. Losing access to those systems can make international flights difficult to operate.

As a result, aviation has become another pressure point in the wider Iran conflict.

Houthi Attacks on Saudi Arabia Increase Regional Pressure

The New York diplomacy is also taking place while violence continues elsewhere in the region.

Saudi authorities said they intercepted a ballistic missile launched toward Riyadh by Yemen’s Houthi movement.

The Houthis separately claimed missile and drone operations against targets in Saudi Arabia.

They also claimed attacks involving locations connected to Saudi energy infrastructure. Some of those claims were not independently verified.

Saudi authorities reported an interception and later issued an all-clear.

Available reporting did not establish widespread damage or civilian casualties from the Riyadh missile incident.

The attacks matter because Saudi Arabia is a major energy producer and a key U.S. partner in the Gulf.

Saudi ports and oil infrastructure have also become more important while Hormuz remains disrupted.

The wider security picture extends into Yemen and the Red Sea. The conflict therefore involves more than one major maritime route.

Readers can follow the wider Houthi campaign around Yemen and the Red Sea for additional regional context.

The Houthis have their own political and military leadership. Therefore, a Houthi attack should not automatically be described as an Iranian order.

Iran’s relationship with the Houthis remains an important part of U.S. and Gulf security assessments. Still, direct responsibility for a specific attack requires separate evidence.

What Comes Next for the US Iran Talks?

The next stage of the US Iran talks will depend on whether the New York channel remains active.

Qatar and other intermediaries could continue carrying messages between Washington and Tehran.

Another key question is whether Washington changes its position on the blockade.

Iran could also clarify or adjust the conditions it has presented for reopening Hormuz.

Meanwhile, events outside the diplomatic channel could shape the negotiations.

Further U.S. military action could increase pressure on Tehran. Iranian retaliation could create additional obstacles for diplomats.

Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia could also complicate efforts to contain the conflict.

Further aviation restrictions would add another layer of pressure on Iran.

Shipping data will also matter. A rise in tanker traffic through Hormuz could indicate improving maritime conditions.

A further decline could signal that operators still consider the route too risky.

Oil markets will continue to react to both diplomacy and military developments. However, market movements alone cannot show whether the two governments are close to an agreement.

The same caution applies to diplomatic statements.

Trump has said the talks went well. Iranian officials have confirmed that diplomacy remains possible. Neither statement establishes a final settlement.

For now, the New York discussions have created a diplomatic channel. They have not removed the main disputes.

The U.S. blockade remains contested. Iran still rejects surrender. Hormuz remains heavily disrupted, and regional attacks continue.

The central question is whether diplomacy can continue while those pressures remain in place.

For shipping companies, Gulf governments and civilians across the region, that question carries consequences far beyond the UN meeting rooms in New York.

Reports involving Iran oil tankers and attacks in the Strait of Hormuz add another layer to the maritime uncertainty surrounding the conflict.