Trump says Iran deal nearing after UN talks as Tehran sets conditions to reopen Strait of Hormuz

President Donald Trump arrived at the Lotte New York Palace Hotel for a reception with leaders and senior officials from around the world Tuesday, The Associated Press reported.

Trump is expected to meet with Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodríguez at the gathering.

It will be the first meeting between the two leaders since Trump ordered a U.S. military operation in January that captured then-President Nicolás Maduro.

Maduro is currently held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Iranian carriers and foreign airlines, including Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) and Turkish Airlines, have halted flights or face restrictions on service between Iran and key hubs, including Baghdad, Muscat and Baku.

The disruptions come amid sweeping U.S. sanctions targeting Iran’s aviation sector and warnings of secondary sanctions against companies that continue providing services to Iranian carriers.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that starting Sept. 23, Iranian airlines would effectively be shut out of international operations as companies face the threat of secondary U.S. sanctions for servicing the carriers.

Washington has warned foreign governments, airports, fuel suppliers, ground-handling companies and ticket sellers that servicing Iranian carriers could expose them to secondary sanctions, including being cut off from the U.S. dollar system.

U.S. and Iranian officials engaged in "lengthy" indirect talks on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, special envoy Steve Witkoff said.

“Today, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, we engaged in lengthy talks with the Iranian delegation through the mediators, who shuttled between the two sides throughout the day,” Witkoff said in a post shared on X.

Witkoff also said officials “successfully completed a round of discussions” that Washington hopes will prove constructive and promising.

“The mediators will continue their work,” he added.

Thousands of Iranian Americans and supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) gathered outside United Nations headquarters on Tuesday, demanding an end to executions in Iran as world leaders attended the U.N. General Assembly.

Protestors called for an end to capital punishment for political prisoners and urged the international community to hold the Islamic Republic accountable.

They also called for the establishment of a free, democratic republic in Iran.

Maryam Rajavi, the NCRI’s president-elect, criticized the Iranian delegation attending the annual summit and called for regime change.

"Iran's seat belongs to the people of Iran and to their legitimate resistance for peace, freedom, and a democratic republic," Rajavi said in a post shared on X.

The protest came ahead of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian's scheduled address to the General Assembly on Wednesday.

"Demonstrators will counter Pezeshkian’s appearance by voicing the Iranian people's opposition to the ruling theocracy and calling for an immediate end to the regime's escalating campaign of political executions, systemic repression, terrorism, and nuclear ambitions," an NCRI spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

According to the group, protesters back an NCRI provisional government anchored by Rajavi’s 10-Point Plan.

The NCRI also calls for popular sovereignty, free elections, separation of religion and state, gender equality, abolition of the death penalty and a non-nuclear Iran.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slammed Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday following the French president’s address to the United Nations General Assembly, calling his remarks on Hamas’ presence in the West Bank a “grotesque absurdity.”

Earlier in the day, Macron had questioned Israeli security operations in the West Bank, claiming that “Hamas was never very active in the West Bank.”

“The grotesque absurdity of Emmanuel Macron’s statement is staggering,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement shared on X.

“On Sunday, the eve of Yom Kippur, just two days ago, Netanel Shukrun — a FRENCH CITIZEN and father of six — was murdered in his car by a Hamas terrorist in Judea and Samaria. With his final breath, he told his son to run,” the statement said.

“Ignorance is NO EXCUSE for erasing their blood,” the office added.

Macron also said in his speech that those who claim Israel’s security requires violating the sovereignty of neighboring states are making a “very fateful error.” 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned Tuesday that Russia could launch attacks against other European countries, telling Fox News Digital that the risk of a new offensive is "very high" as Moscow seeks to undermine European unity and weaken support for Ukraine.

Speaking to reporters following his meeting with President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Zelenskyy was asked by Fox News Digital about the possibility that Russia could invade or attack another European country in the near future.

"That's why the risk of offensive by drones, missiles or land operation is very high against other countries who are bordering Russia or Belarus," Zelenskyy said.

The Ukrainian leader argued that Russian President Vladimir Putin, unable to achieve his military objectives in Ukraine, could seek to create instability elsewhere in Europe to pressure Western governments into reducing their support for Kyiv.

"How to divide unanimity in Europe? ... To attack somebody else. To attack and say, look, I will go further if you will not stop this," Zelenskyy said.

He pointed to drone incursions and disruptions affecting several European countries, arguing that Moscow is already attempting to intimidate European societies and test their response.

This is an excerpt from a report by Fox News Digital's Efrat Lachter.

Iran warned European nations hosting U.S. military bases Tuesday that facilitating attacks on the country would bring consequences.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also told his Italian counterpart, Antonio Tajani, that American unilateralism threatens global stability during a meeting on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly.

“The Iranian foreign minister warned of the dangerous consequences that the normalization of law-breaking and aggressive U.S. unilateralism poses to the rule of law,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement, according to Iran International.

Following the meeting, Tajani also said the two officials discussed negotiations to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

“The memorandum from last June has shown that an agreement is possible, and Italy will continue to support every step to enable the full resumption of freedom of navigation and the end of the conflict,” Tajani said in a post on X.

Iran laid out conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz during a meeting with U.S. officials Tuesday on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, according to reports.

Reuters, citing Iranian state media, reported that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi met with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and shared Iran’s conditions for reopening the strategic waterway.

To reopen the strait, Tehran called for the immediate lifting of the naval blockade, the release of frozen Iranian assets and an end to the war across all “resistance” fronts, state media reported.

“Iran's firm positions were conveyed to the U.S. representatives in this meeting,” Iranian state television said, according to Axios.

President Donald Trump’s remarks on Iran at the U.N. General Assembly were only intended to boost his domestic political messaging Iran’s Armed Forces General Staff and the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, the country’s operational commandssaid Tuesday, Reuters reported.

“The U.S. president’s rhetoric does not change the calculations of power and will never compensate for this country’s diminished position in the emerging world order or America’s humiliating defeats in the war against Iran and the resistance front,” they said in a statement carried by state media.

The military also said Iran was fully prepared to deliver “more severe, crushing and unpredictable” strikes against the United States and Israel in response to further attacks, Iran International reported.

The U.S. Department of State warned New York businesses on Tuesday that Iranian officials attending the U.N. General Assembly are barred from buying luxury items or obtaining wholesale club memberships.

Retailers, the department said, face legal penalties under the Foreign Missions Act if they complete unauthorized transactions with Iranian delegates.

"The United States will not allow the Iranian regime to exploit diplomatic activities, including travel to the U.N., to further enrich Iranian officials," the State Department said.

"The regime’s officials responsible for diverting funds from the Iranian population towards its destabilizing proliferation-sensitive programs must not be allowed to obtain goods unavailable to the Iranian public."

Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, rebuked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan following the Turkish leader’s address at the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday.

Danon accused Erdogan of hypocrisy, lying and enabling terrorism.

“Erdogan once again exploited the U.N. platform to attack Israel and spread lies,” Danon said in a post shared on X.

“Someone who hosts Hamas leaders, supports a terrorist organization and occupies territories in Syria cannot preach morals to Israel,” Danon added.

“Erdogan, your hypocrisy will not hide the truth; we are fighting the terrorism you choose to embrace,” Danon warned.

His remarks came after Erdogan claimed Gaza had become “the most inhuman and shameful concentration camp of our time.”

French President Emmanuel Macron urged the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz Tuesday, warning at the U.N. General Assembly that freedom of navigation should not be used as leverage.

"The freedom of navigation in the strait should not be used as blackmail," Macron said.

"It is in the interest of all of us for vessels to be able to provide transit through the strait."

"The reopening of the whole strait is a priority. Respect for international law is also a priority in everyone's interests, and France is committed to it and its responsibilities."

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that his aides met with Iranian officials for three hours on the first day of the U.N. General Assembly.

While offering few details, Trump told reporters it was "a very good meeting" and added that both Witkoff and Kushner were in the meeting with the Iranian delegation.

Trump spoke after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Iranian Vice President Mohammad Jafar Ghaempanah said Tuesday he urged President Masoud Pezeshkian to skip the U.N. General Assembly in New York, but Pezeshkian went ahead with the trip to air Tehran’s grievances on the world stage.

“Considering the current circumstances, I conveyed the suggestion from some friends that President #Pezeshkian should forgo the trip to New York,” Ghaempanah said in a post on X.

“However, he emphasized that, based on the consensus of experts and the pillars of governance, he will undertake this trip to articulate Iran's authority and grievances to the world,” he added.

“Under the name of #Iran, fear and danger hold no meaning.”

Pezeshkian is due to speak in New York at the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on Tuesday at the UN General Assembly.

Kallas said they addressed "diplomatic prospects for ending the US-Iran war and fully re-opening the Strait of Hormuz."

"There were no tolls or fees for passage before the war, and there should be none after the war," Kallas said in a post shared on X.

Kallas said she raised "domestic repression inside Iran, including the sharp rise in executions and death sentences" in the meeting.

According to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), Araghchi also held bilateral discussions with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani and Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is set to address world leaders at the event on Wednesday.

Following a bilateral meeting with U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham on Tuesday, President Donald Trump voiced optimism that a peace agreement between Washington and Tehran is within reach.

Speaking to reporters after sitting down with Burnham, Trump said discussions between the United States and Iran were progressing.

"They want to talk to us. They have been talking to us, even today. They’ve been talking to us, and the relationship is developing," he said.

"I think that a settlement is going to be reached. But we can't let them — and they understand that — we can't let them have a nuclear weapon," Trump said.

The president linked the eventual end of regional hostilities to a decline in key economic figures, saying:

"As soon as the war is over, the numbers will come way down. We feel very united in that we can't let Iran have a nuclear weapon."

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said Tuesday during a speech at the General Assembly that “the fighting must stop.”  

“Across the Middle East, conflicts are cascading. So-called ceasefires have amounted to little more than lesser fires, with civilians continuing to pay the price,” he said. 

“Enough is enough. I appeal to the leaders in this chamber to maximize this high-level week for de-escalation and dialog,” Guterres continued. 

The U.N.’s leader also called on world leaders to “send a clear message” that “humanitarian aid must flow and navigational rights and freedoms must be fully restored in accordance with international law.” 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday he will “tell the truth” about New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani when he speaks at the U.N. General Assembly later this week. 

"Shame on you, Mr. Mamdani. Shame on you for supporting the Hamas terrorist monsters who butchered our people. Shame on you for inciting riots against New York Jews,” Netanyahu said in a video posted to X. “I'm coming to the U.N. I am going to tell the truth about our heroic soldiers, and I'm going to tell you the truth about you." 

Mamdani previously has called Netanyahu a "war criminal" and "architect of a horrific genocide against the Palestinian people."  

When asked by a reporter in July about "What do you think that these people who are frustrated with Netanyahu should do when he arrives in New York City for the United Nations meeting," Mamdani also said, "One of the bedrocks of our city is protest." 

"It is something that has been a part of what makes our city so special, that New Yorkers can express themselves whether they are in support or in opposition no matter on whatever topic," Mamdani said during a press conference on July 22. "And I’ve always said that when we respect our Constitution, we also respect our First Amendment. And here in New York City it will always be a place where you can exercise that." 

When asked to respond to Netanyahu's video on Tuesday, Mamdani said, "Well, we all know that what the prime minister has said in that video is not true."

"What we do know to actually be the truth when it comes to the prime minister is that he is the subject of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. And as the prime minister, he is the architect of horrific genocide against Palestinians," Mamdani added. "And just a few days ago, his military killed an 11-year-old boy in what is deemed to be a safe zone in Gaza. So that is what I have to say to his video." 

President Donald Trump said Tuesday at U.N. headquarters that the Iranian regime made a “big mistake” by not taking him up on his offer of "full economic cooperation in exchange for ending their nuclear program and support for terror.” 

“Upon taking office last year, I immediately opened negotiations,” the president said, “but they refused.” 

“They absolutely refused. That was a big mistake. Then, in Operation Midnight Hammer, the U.S. military obliterated their nuclear program beneath mountains of rubble. And again, I urged Iran to make a deal. And again, they refused,” Trump continued. 

“The regime continued building a vast missile and drone stockpile that threatened the security of every American service member in the region and everyone else in the region. They also made a missile that was capable of hitting Europe, and they were very proud of it. I hope the Europeans realize that Iran's goal was to complete their mad dash to a nuclear bomb from behind this conventional ballistic missile shield,” Trump told world leaders. 

“If they had succeeded, that wicked regime would have been free to spread terror and death forever, knowing that any attempt to stop them would face an arsenal of nuclear annihilation,” he said.

President Donald Trump told the U.N. General Assembly Tuesday that he has a “big decision” to make when it comes to the war against Iran. 

“Will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before? Maybe one of the greatest in the Middle East or even the world. Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again?” Trump said.  

“Do I drive them into hell with no chance of survival and no hope of future greatness or generations? But I believe we'll make a deal right after the election, because it doesn't make sense for them not to,” Trump continued. “They're waiting to see how I do in the midterm election. What they don't realize is that I'm not running. I did that already and won in a landslide.” 

“We won in a giant landslide, and I'll be here for two and a half years. The Republican Party is running and I'll be helping them, but I am not running,” Trump added. “I gave absolutely no credence and will not give credence to the election when it comes to Iran. It doesn't even enter my mind. The only thing that does is that Iran will never have a nuclear weapon.” 

President Donald Trump told world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday that Iran, the “number one sponsor of terror,” is no longer the bully of the Middle East. 

"As president of the most extraordinary nation in history, I have no interest in leaving dangers to grow for another day. I do not believe in letting problems fester. They only become harder to solve. So while others have talked, I have acted. While others have spoken of peace, I have made peace. While others have ignored threats, I have confronted them. While others have talked of courage, America has shown it. While others have promised strength, I have used it to make America the most powerful country in the world,” Trump said. “Working with many nations in this room, we are solving decades of intractable challenges and we are settling years of unfinished business. And we’re doing it well.” 

"There is no better example of a danger that was allowed to gather strength at the world's peril than the number one sponsor of terror, the Islamic Republic of Iran. For 51 years, the fanatical Iranian regime has ruled by bloodshed and mass murder, spreading death and carnage and chaos across the entire Middle East and beyond. They were the bully of the Middle East, but they are the bully no more,” he added. “From the first day I entered the political arena, I have been unwavering. I will never allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon.” 

The Middle East will take center stage when world leaders open the U.N. General Assembly's annual debate Tuesday, with some of Washington's most important regional partners arriving in New York facing a question: What will the region look like after months of war with Iran, renewed Houthi attacks and an uncertain future for Gaza?

Leaders from Jordan, Türkiye, Qatar and Egypt are expected to address the Assembly during the annual General Debate, which begins Sept. 22. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is also scheduled to attend.

President Donald Trump is expected to meet Gulf leaders on the sidelines of UNGA to discuss the Iran conflict and the region's future. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz told Fox News Digital that the administration wants to hear directly from Gulf leaders about their concerns, describing the meeting as an important opportunity for diplomacy.

Rich Goldberg, a senior adviser at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital that the Iran war has fundamentally altered the region's strategic landscape, creating opportunities for new energy partnerships and closer cooperation between Israel and its Arab neighbors.

"The opportunity for regional integration and normalization works alongside energy infrastructure meeting the moment, the crisis of needing bypasses for Hormuz," Goldberg said.

President Donald Trump has arrived Tuesday at the United Nations General Assembly, where he will address world leaders about the U.S.-Iran war.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is being provided a security detail by the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service as he visits United Nations headquarters in New York City, a report said. 

The Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations made the request in a letter to the State Department last week, according to Axios.  

On Friday, the State Department, after reviewing alleged threats posed to Araghchi, reportedly approved the matter. 

Araghchi arrived on U.S. soil on Monday. 

A White House official told Fox News ahead of President Donald Trump’s speech at the U.N. General Assembly this morning that he will lay out a clear case of how he is using American power to tackle longstanding challenges and reshape the world to the benefit of the U.S. 

The official said while others have talked, Trump has acted on challenges such as the Iranian nuclear threat and cartel violence. 

Trump will also highlight his administration's vision for ending decades of violence, foreign interference and instability in the Western Hemisphere, according to the official. 

The president will speak about U.S. efforts to prevent the U.N. and other globalist institutions from impeding on American sovereignty or imposing on a radical, left-wing agenda on Americans, the official added. 

Fox News’ Pat Ward contributed to this post. 

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday on “Fox & Friends” that the Trump administration will support Saudi Arabia as it faces attacks from the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen. 

“That's a dangerous conflict, obviously, because what it's done is, it's not just the Houthis, Kataib Hezbollah out of Iraq, which is an Iranian proxy, also fired into Saudi Arabia, and it has shut down their main pipeline’,” Rubio said. “And that pipeline needs to get restarted. We have a defense agreement with Saudi Arabia. We intend to live up to our commitments on it.” 

"We are working to see if this thing can be fixed,” Rubio also said about Saudi Arabia’s East-West oil pipeline. “But ultimately, if it comes down to it, the United States will always stand with Saudi Arabia and support them because we have an agreement with them to do so.” 

“That said, that is a very dangerous and complex conflict that pre-exists. You know, obviously our history, we have a history with the Houthis as well, and that's something we don't want to see impacted either, the Red Sea and the impact on the Saudi economy,” Rubio also said. “But, you know, I can't discuss in this setting or any public setting, all of the conversations that are ongoing with Saudi Arabia. But suffice it to say that we will live up to our commitments to them and have been." 

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told “Fox & Friends” on Tuesday that he believes President Donald Trump is open to meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York City. 

"I think what you'll find from the first term, this president and now is that he's willing to talk and meet with anybody,” Rubio said. 

“Now, whether something productive will come out of it, it's harder to tell because the ultimate decision maker in Iran is the supreme leader, and the supreme leader is a radical Shia cleric,” Rubio added. “And we need to remember that when we talk, we're not just talking about politicians here, we're talking about people who are theologically driven to make the decisions that they make.” 

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told "Fox & Friends" on Tuesday ahead of President Donald Trump’s speech at the U.N. General Assembly is that the “central issue” is Iran is “run by lunatic clerics.” 

“There's always been concern in the Gulf states about Iran. The reason why we have military bases in the Gulf states is because they're worried about Iran. That's why we're there. So Iran sponsors terrorist groups that operate out of Iraq, that have operated out of Syria. They help Hezbollah in Lebanon. They're behind the Houthis in Yemen that are attacking Saudi Arabia, and they want a nuclear weapon. That's of concern, not just to the Gulf states, but should be of concern to the world,” Rubio said. 

“And I think it's really important to remind everybody, at the end of the day, at the core of all this, you talk about oil, we talk about the Straits of Hormuz. The central issue here is Iran is run by lunatic clerics, by lunatic clerics that have a radical view of their religion, you know, very radical view and an apocalyptic view of their religion. These people can never have nuclear weapons,” he added.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said all Iranian airlines will be “shut down” starting Wednesday during the Operation Economic Outcast pressure campaign against the regime in Tehran. 

“And how do we do that? That if they land, you cannot provide them with fuel. You cannot provide them with landing services, you cannot sell them tickets, or you will be knocked out of the dollar system,” Bessent told CNBC in an interview. 

Earlier this month, the Treasury Department already slammed Iran by sanctioning 36 targets linked to its aviation sector, which officials said the regime uses to "move weapons, personnel, and illicit cargo."   

The Treasury Department said Iran’s commercial airlines have "long supported the Iranian regime’s destabilizing activities, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps using ostensibly private airlines, such as Mahan Air, for the procurement and transport of weapons and the ferrying of personnel."   

A digital traffic sign on Interstate 405 near Westwood’s Persian Square in Los Angeles was hacked to show a website targeting Iranian dissidents, the New York Post reported.

The site, goorkan.info, claims to expose and punish “traitors to the homeland” and has been linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The outlet reported that Iranian activist Emel Karsaz notified the FBI after discovering that her name, photograph and personal information had been shared on the website.

Caltrans confirmed the unauthorized access. The agency said an internal investigation into the system’s access logs is underway.

Yesterday's Fox News Digital live blog offers additional coverage of the conflict with Iran.

President Donald Trump will speak about the U.S.-Iran war this morning at the U.N. General Assembly in New York City, with U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz also saying to expect “a healthy dose of continuing to call out the ridiculous.” 

“The Human Rights Council, which is a separate part of the UN in Geneva, but still part of it… years ago had a George Floyd commission, and then just released a report … saying that US service members may have allegedly engaged in war crimes in Iran,”  Waltz told the New York Post. 

“We have to remind people that, even when we have civilian casualties — and I’m not saying that’s the case, I think it’s still under investigation by the Pentagon — but even when we have them, it’s unintentional and it’s incidental as part of a conflict, as opposed to the Iranian regime machine-gunning 40,000 of its own people in the span of three or four days,” he reportedly added. 

The General Debate of the 81st U.N. General Assembly begins Tuesday, Sept. 22, under the theme, "Restoring trust, managing transformation: A United Nations that delivers for all." 

Trump will return to the General Assembly on Tuesday with the US-Iran war entering its seventh month, while fighting involving the Iran-backed Houthis has placed new pressure on shipping through the Red Sea and raised fresh concerns among Gulf states about regional security. 

Reuters reported Sept. 18 that European and Asian allies have largely resisted U.S. calls to become more directly involved in the Iran conflict and that the prolonged war has strained Washington’s relationships with some partners. 

Fox News Digital’s Efrat Lachter contributed to this post.