Trump says deciding between deal or driving Iran ‘into hell’

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 22: US President Donald Trump speaks during the 81st United Nations General Assembly at the United Nations Headquarters on September 22, 2026 in New York City. World leaders have gathered in New York for the annual session of the United Nations General Assembly, with this year’s global issues ranging from the threat of artificial intelligence to the continued wars in Ukraine and Gaza. Brendan Smialowski-Pool/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by POOL / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

US President Donald Trump told the United Nations General Assembly Tuesday that he had to choose whether to “annihilate” Iran if it fails to make a deal to end the Middle East war.

“I have a big decision to make — will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before, maybe one of the greatest in the Middle East or even the world?” Trump said.

“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 with no chance of survival and no hope of future greatness or generations?”

But Trump reiterated that he thought an agreement was possible before US midterm elections in November — in which his Republican party faces losing control of Congress at least partly due to high fuel prices caused by the war.

“I believe we’ll make a deal right after the election because it doesn’t make sense for them not to,” Trump said.

“They’re waiting to see how I do in the midterm election. What they don’t realize is that I’m not running. I did that already, and won in a landslide.”