Iran and the United States remain far apart on how to end their war but diplomacy must continue, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Wednesday, after Iran’s president told the UN General Assembly that Tehran would never surrender to US pressure.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, in his speech in New York, condemned what he called “signs of a bullying mentality” from US President Donald Trump, who had used the same forum on Tuesday to threaten to “annihilate” Iran.
The duelling speeches at the annual UN gathering bookended the first shuttle talks between the US and Iran for months, though they appeared to have yielded no concessions in the public stance of either side towards ending the war.
The senior Iranian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Tehran was reviewing Washington’s response to its peace proposals, which prioritise lifting a US naval blockade on Iranian ports and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
“There are still many differences between the Iranian and US positions, but diplomacy is continuing,” the official said.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Wednesday that a deal with Iran would involve hard work over a period of time, adding that Trump also had military options.
The US has also said it will impose so-called secondary sanctions against any country that allows Iranian flights after Wednesday. Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, told state TV Iran would ensure neighbouring countries’ airports could not function if they stop Iranian flights.
