2026 Iran War: 2026-09-23

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told the UN General Assembly that Iran will never "bend the knee" after nearly seven months of war with the US and Israel, while saying Tehran remains open to diplomacy. Responding to President Trump's threat to "annihilate" Iran if a deal is not reached soon, he said Iranian resistance would harden under more sanctions and pressure. Pezeshkian said any deal must end the US blockade of Iranian ships and ports, arguing it cannot be that others benefit from Hormuz while Iran is denied access.

Iran's Supreme National Security Council secretary, Maj. Gen. Mohsen Rezaei, said negotiations are over and it is "time for action," warning the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed indefinitely and no further talks will take place unless the United States meets Iran's demands. Middle East Spectator also reported Rezaei saying a brief Araghchi-Witkoff contact at UNGA was authorized only to convey Iran's position through mediators, not to negotiate directly.

AFP, citing Omani and Indian authorities, said an attack on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday killed an Indian sailor. India's foreign ministry condemned the attack and called for unimpeded passage through the strait to be restored. Britain's Maritime Trade Organization separately reported a ship damaged and on fire while transiting Hormuz.

US envoy Steve Witkoff said mediators shuttled between US and Iranian teams through Tuesday at the UN, completing a round he called constructive. President Trump said Witkoff and Jared Kushner held a three-hour meeting with Iranian officials. Iranian state media said Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met Witkoff and again tied Hormuz reopening to ending the blockade, unfreezing assets, and halting fighting on "resistance" fronts. BBC and Al Jazeera said it was the first such contact since the June ceasefire collapsed; no breakthrough was announced.

Iraqi authorities moved to bar newly sanctioned Iranian carriers from Baghdad flights as the US secondary-sanctions deadline of Sept. 23 took effect. Iranian aviation officials said Tehran-Baghdad and Tehran-Muscat flights were cancelled from Wednesday, while some other international routes continued. Iraqi officials were separately reviewing whether Iran Air services could shift to Najaf.

Iranian state media said Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told US envoy Steve Witkoff that Tehran wants an immediate end to the maritime blockade, unfreezing of Iranian assets, and a halt to fighting on all "resistance" fronts before reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Reuters reported those conditions. No US confirmation of the Iranian list was immediately published.