US and Iran Hold 3-Hour Talks... Middle East 'Grand Bargain' at a Crossroads

[Anchor]

The United States and Iran have held a three-hour meeting in New York. Coming three months after the peace talks in Switzerland, attention is focused on whether the two countries can find common ground following this meeting.

Here is a report by reporter Park Chan-beom.

[Reporter]

News of the talks between the US and Iran was made public through a surprise announcement by President Trump.

Although specific details of the conversation have not been disclosed, President Trump gave a positive assessment of the meeting, which took place in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

[Donald Trump / US President : The meeting lasted for three hours. It was a very good and highly productive meeting. Another meeting is scheduled for the near future.]

The delegations from both sides, including US Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, did not hold a face-to-face meeting, but instead exchanged views through intermediaries.

It is reported that Iran also conveyed its intention to open the Strait of Hormuz within a week if the US lifts its military pressure and economic sanctions.

In his earlier speech at the UN General Assembly, President Trump launched a harsh criticism of Iran, stating that whether the country faces total annihilation or reconstruction depends entirely on his decision.

[Donald Trump / US President : Whether we reach an agreement so that Iran can rise again and become a much greater nation than before, or whether we swiftly and completely destroy the Iranian regime, I have to make a major decision.]

This is seen as an effort to ramp up pressure to secure a deal favorable to the US, while Iran's hardline military leadership has pushed back, warning that a "destructive and unpredictable strike" is ready.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is also scheduled to hold a US-China summit after arriving in the United States this morning, September 24.

Given China's considerable leverage over Iran, the Iranian issue is expected to be a major agenda item.

(Video by Lee Hee-hoon | Video Editing by Cho Moo-hwan)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.