US President Donald Trump said US-Iran talks at the UN were “very good” and “very productive”, with another meeting planned soon, after earlier threatening Iran with annihilation.
US special envoy Steve Witkoff said the sides held lengthy discussions through mediators, who shuttled between the delegations, and described the completed round as constructive and promising.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei, meanwhile, said Tehran conveyed conditions through Qatar, including an end to the war on all fronts, a halt to “acts of aggression”, an end to the naval blockade and economic warfare, and the release of Iranian assets.
The diplomatic contacts came as Trump told Arab and Muslim leaders that there was momentum toward a deal, while Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned European countries hosting US military bases they could become “complicit in aggression”.
Iran sets terms through Qatar
Baghaei said Iran conveyed its conditions to the United States through a Qatari mediator in New York. Tehran’s demands include an end to the war on all fronts, an end to what it calls acts of aggression, the lifting of the naval blockade and economic warfare, and the release of Iranian assets.
Qatar played a central role in facilitating the US-Iran contacts, with Gulf officials saying the country took the lead in arranging the meeting between Witkoff and Araghchi.
Witkoff says talks were lengthy
Witkoff said US and Iranian delegations engaged in lengthy discussions through mediators who moved between the two sides throughout the day.
He said the latest round had been completed successfully and that mediators would continue their work, describing the discussions as potentially constructive and promising.
Hormuz traffic remains subdued
Three commodity vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, down from four a day earlier and well below the 10-day average of about 15, preliminary Kpler data showed.
All three were exiting the strait. Separately, 22 commodity vessels crossed Bab el-Mandeb, below its 10-day average of about 26.
Oil prices ease after talks
Oil prices fell after Trump’s comments on the talks, with Brent crude at $98.91 a barrel and West Texas Intermediate at $89.93 in early Asian trade.
Trump’s comments followed a UN address in which he said he faced a “big decision” on whether to reach a deal with Iran or “annihilate the Islamic Republic”.
Iran warns Europe over US bases
Araghchi told Italy’s foreign minister that European countries hosting US military bases or helping prepare or execute US attacks could be “complicit in aggression”.
He also said rising global fuel and commodity prices were a direct result of the US-Israel war on Iran, according to Iran’s foreign ministry.
Saudi oil flows shift
Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura terminal recorded its busiest loading day since before the war on September 21, with six VLCCs loading nearly 12 million barrels at Ras Tanura and Juaymah.
Kpler said the surge followed disruption to the kingdom’s East-West pipeline and reflected a longer-running change in vessel behaviour.
US probes Binance over Iran sanctions
US prosecutors are investigating Binance over possible violations of US sanctions on Iran and trading activity on its platform, Reuters reported.
The probe is examining whether the cryptocurrency exchange knowingly allowed sanctions-violating trading, Bloomberg reported.
