Hope for progress after U.S., Iran hold first shuttle talks in months
The United States and Iran have engaged in indirect shuttle talks via mediators in New York to discuss potential progress toward ending the ongoing conflict. While no major breakthroughs were announced, the diplomatic contact has raised hopes for a deal amid high regional tensions.
Why it matters
Diplomatic engagement between the U.S. and Iran is critical for regional stability in West Asia and has direct implications for global oil prices.
The first shuttle talks between the United States and Iran for months raised hopes on Wednesday (September 23, 2026) that the adversaries could make some progress towards ending the West Asia war, although neither side spelled out any change in their positions.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner communicated through mediators on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, the first such contacts since an interim ceasefire agreement collapsed in July.
"Steve and Jared had a very productive meeting today with mediators of Iran, merely mediators. Let's see what happens with that," U.S. President Donald Trump said. "They've been mediated for a while, but I think there's a lot of momentum for them to make a deal. It's what we're hearing from everybody."
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