[Anchor]

A strange shift in currents is being detected in U.S. President Donald Trump's approach to the Middle East. While ratcheting up military threats against Iran by even mentioning "obliteration," he has approved a visa for the Iranian president to attend the United Nations General Assembly.

Here is a report from Washington correspondent Jeon Byeong-nam.

[Reporter]

On the 17th local time, President Trump stated, "We are at a critical crossroads where we must decide whether to resume massive attacks to end the war with Iran." He added, "I am considering obliterating the regime, and anything can happen."

At the same time, he repeatedly emphasized that Iran is in direct contact with the U.S. and still wants a deal with Washington.

[Donald Trump / U.S. President (local time, 16th): They (Iran) want it very badly. Iran wants a deal very badly. We'll see how it works out.]

He also explained that he plans to meet with leaders of the six Gulf Cooperation Council nations, including Saudi Arabia, to hear their views during the UN General Assembly in New York, which opens on the 22nd.

However, Trump did not mention whether he will make his stated "critical decision" before or after the upcoming November midterm elections.

Meanwhile, entry visas have been issued for the Iranian delegation to attend the UN General Assembly in New York—a move that had been widely expected to be denied.

This means Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, whose country is effectively at war with the U.S., will be able to travel to New York on the 22nd.

Speculation is rising that Trump might hold a face-to-face meeting with Pezeshkian, who is considered a moderate within Iran.

Next week, a U.S.-China summit will also be held.

It is reported that Chinese President Xi Jinping will be greeted directly at the airport by President Trump upon his arrival on the 23rd local time.

Welcoming a foreign leader at the airport is a first since the launch of the second Trump administration, a move evaluated as an overture to secure favorable outcomes from the summit.

Ahead of this, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a phone call to "exchange views on the situation in the Middle East and other issues." Wang stated that "positive news must be delivered to promote global peace and development."

With the U.S. bogged down in the quagmire of war ahead of the midterms, and Iran suffering from severe economic hardship due to sanctions and blockades, attention is focused on whether a breakthrough can be forged through next week's series of meetings.

(Video reporting: Park Eun-ha, Video editing: Park Chun-bae, Design: Kim Ye-ji)