The U.S. government and Iranian officials engaged in negotiations on September 26, 2023, for the first time in recent months. This meeting took place on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where Donald Trump, the President of the United States, was still considering decisions regarding Iran.
Details of the Negotiations
Abbas Araghchi, Iran's Foreign Minister, met with Steven Mnuchin, Trump's special representative, and Jared Kushner, his son-in-law, during this session. In his speech at the United Nations General Assembly, Trump emphasized that a big decision must be made: whether an agreement with Iran will be reached that allows the country to rebuild and progress, or whether he will take action to destroy the Islamic Republic.
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Trump stated in this regard: "I have a big decision to make - will an agreement be signed with Iran or will I quickly destroy the Islamic Republic?" These remarks were made as the majority of the Iranian delegation left the venue.
Iran's Conditions for Negotiations
Araghchi presented Iran's conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz during these negotiations. According to Iranian media, he called for "the immediate lifting of the U.S. naval blockade, the swift payment of all frozen Iranian assets, and the end of the war on all fronts of resistance."
Trump also told reporters, "They had a very good meeting and another session is scheduled for the near future." This negotiation is considered the first face-to-face meeting between Iranian and American officials since U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance met with senior Tehran officials in Switzerland last June.
While Trump referred in his speech to public dissatisfaction with the ongoing war with Iran and its economic consequences, he also emphasized the need to prevent the development of nuclear weapons in the country. Additionally, he presented himself as a peacemaker, stating, "While others have ignored the threats, I have faced them."
Alongside these negotiations, Trump met with Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, and emphasized the need to end the war in Ukraine. Zelensky stated that Ukraine is ready to stop attacks on Russian energy facilities, provided that Moscow takes similar action.
Finally, Trump signed a security agreement with Greenland and Denmark, under which the United States will establish two military bases in Greenland. This agreement has somewhat helped to reduce tensions in the region.
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