Trump threatened action against Iran on September 20, Fox News reported. Iran's security chief Mohsen Rezaei had separately announced that Tehran had sent Washington seven conditions for negotiations. An IRNA report carried by Nour News on September 20 described his social-media statement: the United States would have to accept Iran's stated rights and conditions before talks could proceed.
Two days later, Trump brought the choice between a deal and military destruction into his United Nations General Assembly speech. Reuters reported on September 22 that he also described a productive meeting between envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner and Iranian mediators. Iran's armed forces dismissed his speech as propaganda and threatened a stronger response to aggression. Trump met Gulf leaders, while Qatar promoted a regional security framework involving Iran and neighbouring Arab states.
The diplomatic contacts continued on September 25. Qatar's Foreign Ministry confirmed that Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian at his New York residence during the General Assembly. The ministry said their discussions concerned regional developments, de-escalation and creating conditions for dialogue.
On September 26, Trump publicly rejected Iran's proposal, telling reporters at the White House before departing for Tennessee that he had turned down the deal. Reuters reported that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had outlined a seven-day countdown to reopening Hormuz and pausing regional fighting if Washington accepted. Wider negotiations on mutually agreed subjects could follow. Trump nevertheless said he remained interested in making a deal. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that accepting the proposal would not mean Iranian concessions on uranium enrichment or sending highly enriched uranium abroad.
