Trump Defends Iran War at UN, Says Deal Could Be Close
The U.S. president told world leaders that Washington and Tehran could still reach an agreement, while warning that Iran could face further military action if diplomacy fails.
By: Ebenezer Adugyamfi / Emmanuel Ayiku for GhanaianNewsCanada
September 22, 2026
U.S. President Donald Trump has defended his decision to wage war against Iran during an address to the United Nations General Assembly, while saying he believes a negotiated settlement could still bring the conflict to an end.
Speaking to world leaders in New York on Tuesday, Trump portrayed the U.S. military campaign as an effort to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and argued that previous diplomatic efforts had failed to resolve the issue.
He said Washington now faced a major decision: whether to reach an agreement that would allow Iran to rebuild or take further military action against the country.
“I have a big decision to make,” Trump said, according to Reuters. He presented the choice as either reaching a deal with Iran or taking further action against the Islamic Republic.
Trump predicts agreement after U.S. election
Despite his warnings, Trump said he expected an agreement with Iran after the U.S. midterm elections in November.
He argued that Iranian leaders were waiting to see the outcome of the elections before making decisions about negotiations.
Trump insisted that the election would not determine his policy toward Iran, but maintained that he believed a deal could follow the vote.
“I believe we’ll make a deal right after the election,” he said.
The president also called on Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important shipping routes, and return to negotiations.
The conflict has affected energy markets, with disruptions around the strategic waterway contributing to concerns about global oil supplies and prices.
U.S. and Iranian officials hold talks
Developments outside the General Assembly appeared to offer some indication that diplomatic channels remain open.
Trump later said that his son-in-law Jared Kushner and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff had met with Iranian representatives in New York.
The president described the meeting as positive while indicating that further negotiations would determine whether the two sides could reach an agreement.
Reuters also reported that Washington and Tehran appeared to be moving toward a possible settlement, while an Iranian official indicated that Tehran could reopen the Strait of Hormuz if U.S. military pressure and the blockade on Iranian ports were eased.
Trump says military campaign weakened Iran
During his speech, Trump argued that the military campaign had significantly reduced Iran’s ability to threaten the region.
He described the Iranian government as weakened and desperate and said the U.S. action had prevented Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
Those claims were central to Trump’s defence of the war, although the conflict remains ongoing and negotiations over how it could end are still developing.
Trump also rejected reports that the United States was running short of military munitions.
His comments came after a Pentagon inspector general report warned of strategic inventory shortages resulting from the conflict.
Iranian delegation walks out
The speech also produced a visible diplomatic reaction inside the UN General Assembly hall.
Much of the Iranian delegation reportedly walked out as Trump criticised the Islamic Republic and defended the U.S. military campaign.
The confrontation comes as the war approaches its eighth month and continues to dominate international discussions over energy security, Middle East stability and the future of U.S.-Iran relations.
A possible diplomatic turning point
Trump’s remarks presented two competing possibilities for the conflict: renewed diplomacy or further escalation.
While he used strong language in warning Iran about the consequences of failing to reach an agreement, he also repeatedly expressed confidence that a deal could eventually be reached.
The reported meeting between U.S. and Iranian representatives in New York suggests that diplomatic contacts remain active even as military pressure continues.
For now, however, no final peace agreement has been announced, and the conditions for ending the conflict remain under negotiation.
Trump’s UN address therefore placed diplomacy and military pressure side by side, leaving the international community watching closely for whether the latest talks can produce a settlement.
