U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday in his address to the 81st United Nations General Assembly that the United States could quickly "annihilate" Iran, but did not rule out the possibility of reaching an agreement to end the conflict after the U.S. midterm elections in November.
Trump said the United States will never allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons.
Noting that Iran is waiting to see how the midterm elections play out, Trump said that it doesn't make sense for Iran not to make a deal with the United States after the elections.
On Feb 28, the United States and Israel launched joint attacks on Iran's capital Tehran and other cities. Iran has since tightened its grip on the Strait of Hormuz while U.S. forces imposed a naval blockade targeting vessels traveling to or from Iranian ports.
On June 18, the United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on ending the war in the region on all fronts, including Lebanon.
Under the MoU, they were scheduled to hold negotiations within 60 days, a deadline that expired on Aug 17, to reach a final agreement, but the talks' fate remains unclear amid recent escalations.
Trump says US may make deal with Iran after November midterm elections
