US and Iran hold first talks since June after Trump's 'annihilation' threat

The talks are the first since a ceasefire collapsed in June, with the sides exchanging fire intermittently. Watch: Trump threatens to 'annihilate' Iran if no deal reached Top Iranian and US officials have held talks at the UN in New York on a day when the US leader said he could "annihilate" the Islamic Republic if the conflict went unresolved. No breakthrough has been reported from the meeting mediated by Qatar and involving Iran's foreign minister and US President Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff – the first since a June ceasefire unravelled. Witkoff said a round of discussions had been completed "that we hope will prove constructive and promising".

Iran repeated its demand for the US to end its "acts of aggression". The US and Israel launched air strikes on Iran on 28 February. Iran responded by attacking Israel and US bases in the Gulf and Arab Gulf allies of the US – as well as blocking the Strait of Hormuz. Some 20% of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas used to pass through the strait before the war and its closure has caused wild fluctuations of prices. It has also increased pressure on Trump to find a way of ending the conflict – particularly as the US heads to Congressional elections in November. In his address at the