Trump opens door to talks with Iranian officials "under right conditions"
Gulf capitals plan to press Trump to hold back from escalating with Iran when he meets on the issue today.
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UpdateTuesday, September 22, 2026 at 9:20 AM ET
The later filing frames Trump's UN messaging as continuity with existing Iran policy rather than a shift toward talks, and says the near-term market impact is neutral, not bullish.
A White House official told Fox that Trump will use his UN address to press the case for confronting Iran and drug cartels, not to signal openness to talks. Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Iran will not surrender to the United States. Iranian sources cited by Fars called reports of a Strait of Hormuz deal invalid, after Iran said it would reopen the strait within seven days if the US lifted its blockade. Trump is also set to meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Washington on September 24 to discuss trade, rare earths and artificial intelligence.
UpdateTuesday, September 22, 2026 at 9:15 AM ET
CNN also reported that a meeting with Iran could be held with Trump's top advisers, rather than the president himself.
President Trump said he is open to meeting Iranian officials under the right conditions, according to CNN.
The remark comes as Trump prepares to address Iran and cartels in a speech at the United Nations, where Gulf allies are urging restraint and Qatar is exploring a possible short-term deal. Gulf capitals plan to press Trump directly to hold back from escalating with Iran when he meets on the issue today.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said sanctions are crippling Iran's economy and that the United States will not close the door to talks with Tehran. Iran's Revolutionary Guard has said it must negotiate if national interests require it.
The comments follow a standoff over the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has told the Trump administration it will reopen the strait within a stated timeframe if the United States lifts its blockade, though Iranian sources cited by Fars have denied reports that any such deal has already been reached.
Trump's openness to direct talks marks a shift from the more confrontational posture he has signaled at the UN and through Rubio's hardline messaging. Any diplomatic off-ramp lowers the odds of an escalation that could disrupt shipping through the strait and push up energy costs, a risk that Federal Reserve official Austan Goolsbee has flagged as inflationary pressure that could force further Fed tightening. That makes the shift bullish for risk assets, particularly oil and equities exposed to Middle East tensions.