US, Iran Hold Three-Hour Talks on Sidelines of UN General Assembly

New York: The United States and Iran held a crucial three-hour meeting amid the continuing conflict in West Asia, with US officials sitting down with Iranian representatives who had come to New York for the annual UN General Assembly session. Trump said the talks went well and that the next round of discussions would take place soon.

US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential adviser Jared Kushner are reported to have conducted the talks with the Iranian delegation. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is also in New York, though it remains unclear exactly who represented Tehran in the meeting.

The talks came after Iran signalled that it could reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days if the US halted military pressure and lifted sanctions. Iran is reported to have put forward demands including the withdrawal of the naval blockade, the release of frozen Iranian assets and an end to hostilities in West Asia.

The US-Israel alliance had launched a joint attack on Iran on February 28, and this new diplomatic move comes as the conflict enters its seventh month — having pushed the West Asian region into a state of war. The international community is watching closely to see whether the talks will open the door to fresh negotiations and a resolution to the crisis.