Key facts
- Iran and the U.S. traded criticisms over a truce proposal as intermediaries met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in New York.
- A Trump administration official expressed distrust in Tehran and its latest truce plan.
- Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned of "painful blows" for the U.S. and its forced exit from the Middle East.
- An Iranian official stated that President Trump's unclear and inconsistent position makes negotiations difficult.
As Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi prepared to meet with intermediaries in New York on Monday, Tehran and the U.S. traded jibes over the latest truce proposal. The discussions signaled a seriousness about diplomacy, despite ongoing threats. President Donald Trump had previously warned that he might "annihilate" Iran if a deal wasn't reached. In a statement attributed to him, Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned Monday that the U.S. would suffer "painful blows" and be forced out of the Middle East. An Iranian official noted that the "main problem" was President Trump's lack of a clear and consistent position on what he wants from negotiations, making it difficult to progress towards a concrete arrangement.