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Frustrated by a war with Iran that has lasted long past his initial promises, President Donald Trump told world leaders on Tuesday that he would “annihilate” the entire country if its leaders do not make a deal.
It was a stark warning in the green-marbled hall of the United Nations, where discussions more often tend toward advancing peace than the elimination of an entire nation. The president also expressed concern for the Iranian anti-government protesters who were killed by Tehran’s security forces earlier this year.
He repeated the claim that a peace deal would be likely after the midterm elections in November, and said later that his top envoys sat for talks with Iranian officials on Tuesday for three hours, their first known face-to-face meetings in months.
“They’re waiting to see how I do in the midterm election. What they don’t realize is that I’m not running,” Trump said, referring to Iran’s leaders.
“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,” Trump said. “The only thing that does is that Iran will never have a nuclear weapon.”
Trump’s vow to stay on his current path with Iran came despite an increasing number of Republican senators who have moved away from him on the war and have called for it to come to a swift end and as indications mount that Democrats may ride into Congress on a major wave of voter discontent.
“I have a big decision to make. Will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before?” Trump told leaders at the U.N. General Assembly. “Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again? Do I drive them into hell with no chance of survival and no hope of future greatness or generations?”
Taken seriously, Trump’s threat amounted to a contemplation of mass slaughter with little parallel in human history, with deadly consequences for Iran’s 93 million people.
He has, however, shown little inclination for large-scale assaults against Iran since the opening weeks of the war, despite repeated threats.
With global energy prices skyrocketing, peace efforts faltering in Ukraine and Iran, and Republicans facing grim election news, Trump’s U.N. appearance this year was a measure of the scale of global conflicts.
The president’s vigorous campaign for a Nobel Peace Prize — hot on the agenda a year ago ahead of the annual October announcement date — was far more muted on Tuesday than it was in 2025. Instead, he focused on promoting the foreign policy wins he can claim, while trying to manage the many challenges arrayed in front of him.
Still, he found space in his 36-minute speech to run through a list of the many world leaders whom he said had written him letters praising him for his peace initiatives.
Later in the day, Trump told reporters about the meeting his envoys had with the Iranians.
“It was a very good meeting, I must tell you,” said Trump, noting that he “can’t imagine” why Iran wouldn’t want to make a deal given the potential consequences of renewed U.S. military action.
“It’s greatness — potential greatness — or obliteration,” Trump said.
In-person meetings between the longtime enemies rarely happen, particularly on U.S. soil, but the gathering of world leaders provided an opportunity for the two sides to reopen diplomatic discussions. While Trump has signaled publicly that he’s comfortable with the war continuing through the midterms in November, U.S. officials have said privately that ending the unpopular conflict is a top priority of the White House. Source: Washington Post.
