Trump willing to meet Iranian delegation in New York "if conditions are right": Report

According to CNN, internal discussions surrounding a potential sideline meeting at UNGA have focused on whether a dialogue would meaningfully advance the administration’s efforts to establish a path toward ending the US war with Iran.

US President Donald Trump has expressed interest to his advisers in setting up a meeting with Iranian officials present in New York for the UN General Assembly's 81st session, “if the conditions are right." Citing a US official familiar with the matter, CNN reported that the official noted any potential meeting might instead involve some of the president’s top advisers travelling with him in New York, though no formal encounter has been scheduled yet.

According to CNN, internal discussions surrounding a potential sideline meeting at UNGA have focused on whether a dialogue would meaningfully advance the administration’s efforts to establish a path toward ending the US war with Iran. Furthermore, the official told CNN that there is scepticism over whether the Iranian diplomats in New York possess the backing of Tehran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who is considered the final authority on such matters.

The official also informed CNN that it remains uncertain whether Iranian officials would even be willing to meet. Iran’s scaled-down delegation currently in the US for the UN General Assembly includes Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Both Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz have indicated that the president remains “open” to engaging with the Iranian representatives. Waltz told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on Wednesday that Trump “is always open” to discussions, adding: “That’s a question I wish you could ask the Iranians is, will they sit down directly with us? And who is speaking for the ayatollah? That’s been a continuous issue.”

Additionally, when questioned regarding whether Trump intended to interface with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in New York, Rubio noted that Washington remains receptive to the concept, though no formal schedule has been established. "We’re open to that. I don’t think anything is scheduled at this point, but we’re certainly open to something like that, especially if it has the prospects of leading to something positive," Rubio said in an interview with US broadcaster NBC.

Rubio additionally reaffirmed Washington’s stance concerning Iran’s nuclear programme, emphasising that the primary aim of any diplomatic engagement focuses on guaranteeing Tehran never obtains a nuclear weapon. "And that is the fact that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon. They just simply can’t," Rubio said.

Nevertheless, neither Washington nor Tehran has verified that a face-to-face meeting between the two presidents has been arranged. The potential for a Trump-Pezeshkian meeting unfolds while the nearly seven-month-old US-Iran conflict persists without resolution, accompanied by continuous warnings from both sides.

In remarks reported on Monday, Trump conveyed that Iran faced choices including "wiping Iran out," allowing its economy to "rot" or reaching a deal. He further remarked that he remained in "deciding mode" regarding Washington's next steps. "My question is, if and when do I blow the entire nation up," Trump said. "They better behave."

Simultaneously, Iranian officials have warned that any fresh US military action could lead to a broader conflict. Hossein Mohebbi, spokesperson for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, asserted that Tehran would alter both its weapons and the geographical scope of the conflict if Washington launched another attack.

"If a new aggression takes place, we will definitely change the weapons and geography of the war," Mohebbi said, according to Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency. With both Trump and Pezeshkian expected in New York for the UN General Assembly, the gathering provides a potential setting for direct contact between Washington and Tehran. (ANI)