# US and Iran hold talks on sidelines of UN General Assembly - Show: Global News Podcast - Published: 2026-09-23 - Canonical: https://podc.club/en/episode/135067274_85c4af34d594.html - Audio: http://open.live.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/6/redir/version/2.0/mediaset/audio-nondrm-download-rss-low/proto/http/vpid/p0pbzgmb.mp3 - Source: Edited from a machine transcript of the first 30 minutes of the episode. Not an official summary. Senior US and Iranian officials held their first direct talks in months on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. President Trump used his speech to dangle both annihilation and a deal for Iran, while Washington rolled out fresh sanctions targeting Iranian airlines. ## What this episode answers ### What did President Trump say about Iran in his UN General Assembly speech? Trump framed a stark choice for Iran: strike a deal and rebuild as a greater power than ever, or have the Islamic Republic "obliterated" and sent to hell; he added he believed a deal could be reached "immediately after the election." ### What did Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner discuss with Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi? They discussed conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz; some Iranian officials signaled Tehran could reopen the strait within a week if the US eased its naval blockade of Iranian ports. ### What effect is the new US sanctions on Iranian aviation expected to have? The sanctions have already forced many international flights to a halt from local midnight onward, including Iranian services to Baghdad and Najaf in Iraq, though China and Russia are unlikely to comply. ### What verdict was reached in Sri Lanka's Easter bombing trial? Sri Lanka's High Court handed down long prison sentences to 15 people convicted of plotting the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings; nine others were acquitted and released, and one died in custody. ### Why is Piers Morgan demanding the recall of Earl Spencer's new book? Because Spencer's book identifies Morgan as the editor of the Mirror at the time it published surreptitious photos of Diana exercising in a gym in 1993, but Morgan was not the editor at that time, which he calls a "fabricated inaccuracy." ## Article ## At the UN, Trump talks of 'obliterating' Iran Iran dominated the agenda at the UN General Assembly in New York. In his address, President Trump framed a stark choice for Iran: strike a deal and rebuild as a greater power than ever, or have the Islamic Republic "obliterated" and sent to hell. He added that he believed a deal could be reached "immediately after the election." A BBC correspondent noted that such extreme rhetoric before a gathering of more than 190 nations shows just how normalized threats have become. Trump also met separately with President Zelensky, reportedly renewing his call for Ukraine to halt long-range strikes on Russian energy facilities, after Russia's halt of diesel exports drove up US fuel prices — a political liability for the governing party ahead of the midterm elections. ## Witkoff and Kushner hold three-hour talks with Iran's foreign minister On the sidelines of the Assembly, Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi for three hours — the first senior-level direct talks in months. Trump called the meeting "productive." Iranian state media said the talks centered on conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz. According to the BBC's Tom Bateman, some Iranian officials have signaled Tehran could reopen the strait within a week if the US eased its naval blockade of Iranian ports, suggesting Iran's demands have softened. Trump, however, was skeptical a deal could be reached before the November midterms. The talks mark the first such high-level US-Iran contact since Vice President JD Vance met Iranian officials in Pakistan in June. ## Iran aviation sanctions ground flights to Iraq Under new sanctions, the US said any entity providing services to Iranian airlines would be cut off from the US financial system. The measure has already forced many international flights to a halt from local midnight onward, including Iranian services to Baghdad and Najaf in Iraq. Middle East analyst Sebastian Usher said the move marks a shift from military to economic pressure. China and Russia, the largest buyers of Iranian crude, are unlikely to comply with the sanctions, but most other routes are expected to be shut down. ## Sri Lanka convicts 15 over Easter bombings Sri Lanka's High Court has handed down long prison sentences to 15 people convicted of plotting the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, which targeted churches and luxury hotels, killing 270 people and injuring more than 500. The nine suicide bombers who carried out the attacks were members of a local Islamist extremist group; the victims included 45 foreign nationals. The defendants had denied involvement throughout the trial but were found guilty; nine others were acquitted and released, and one died in custody. Then-President Maithripala Sirisena has faced criticism for security failures, including failing to act on intelligence provided by India. Last month, a former police chief and a former defence secretary were sentenced to death for culpable homicide over the same failures. ## Piers Morgan demands recall of Princess Diana book over factual error British broadcaster Piers Morgan has demanded the recall of a new book by Earl Spencer, Princess Diana's brother. The book identifies Morgan as the editor of the Mirror at the time it published surreptitious photos of Diana exercising in a gym in 1993 — but Morgan was not the editor at the time. Morgan has called the claim a "fabricated inaccuracy" and is threatening legal action. Spencer has apologized, describing himself as a historian with a duty to correct the record. Prince William, asked about "his uncle's book" while out in public, appeared to sidestep the question. ## Takeaways - The first senior US-Iran talks in months have raised hopes of progress on reopening the Strait of Hormuz. - Trump combined talk of 'obliterating' Iran in his UN speech with tightened economic pressure through new aviation sanctions. - Sri Lanka convicted 15 people in the Easter bombing trial, while a factual error in Earl Spencer's new book about Princess Diana stirred controversy.