Donald Trump says "annihilate the Islamic Republic" in UN remarks about Iran
“Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again? Do I drive them into hell?”
Reported September 26, 2026 by the-star.co.ke. Checked word for word against that report.
At the UN General Assembly this week, President Donald Trump said a deal with Iran might be reached after November’s congressional elections but also raised the possibility of a major military escalation instead. His remarks came as Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said Tehran had sent Washington, through Qatar, a proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days if conditions in a June memorandum are met. A US official said talks through intermediaries were continuing, while The Wall Street Journal, citing US officials, reported Trump rejected the plan and considered more strikes likely. The June US-Iran memorandum, meant to halt fighting that began after US-Israeli strikes on 28 February and restore shipping, collapsed after both sides resumed attacks. The strait’s closure has caused energy-price swings and increased pressure on Trump; Araghchi said Iran would not yield to intimidation.
- the-star.co.ke ↗︎26 SEP 2026