Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian indicated during a meeting with NBC News at the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday that his government is willing to negotiate with the U.S. before the November midterm elections, suggesting they want to return to their previous memorandum of understanding (MOU) before then. White House spokesperson Anna Kelly responded by criticizing Iran’s actions and reiterated President Trump's commitment to preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, implying that any potential deal would come after the election based on the president's comments earlier in the week.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-24,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
US President Donald Trump met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, where Xi pressed Trump to adopt Beijing's stance against Taiwan independence, which Taiwan rejected outright. Meanwhile, Taiwan is crucial for global tech and economy due to its leading semiconductor production; TSMC alone produces the majority of advanced chips that power smartphones, AI systems, and more. As Stanford Hoover fellow Eyck Freymann noted, economic disruption from a conflict over Taiwan would be severe.
In unrelated developments, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian met with US media at the UN General Assembly, where he denied Iran's nuclear ambitions while offering to dilute its enriched uranium and allow inspections under international law. He also blamed Washington for ongoing conflicts in the Middle East. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) estimates that Iran has over 440 kilograms of uranium enriched up to 60%, raising concerns despite Pezeshkian's denials.
Taiwan's representative, Ambassador Alexander Yui, clarified during an interview on CBS’s "Face the Nation" that while Taiwan was discussed between Trump and Xi, it wasn't a major focus. He emphasized there has been no change in US policy towards Taiwan amid recent tensions with China.
Written for “Taiwan Iran Us Relations Midterms” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 386 other(s) covering the same event.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Thursday suggested his government was willing to make a deal with the U.S. to end the war before Americans head to the polls this November.
uncertain
Americans → suggest → polls
“We don’t want it to get to the midterm elections,” Pezeshkian said Thursday in a brief meeting with NBC News and other news organizations on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
asserted
Pezeshkian → want → Assembly
“We wish Americans to return to the MOU before the midterms,” Pezeshkian added, referring to a memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Iran that laid out plans for a temporary ceasefire.
asserted
that → wish → ceasefire
The agreement, signed in June, eventually collapsed.
asserted
agreement → sign → June
In response to NBC News’ request for comment, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said: “The Iranian regime has murdered thousands of its own people, killed Americans overseas, executed acts of terrorism in the Strait of Hormuz, and launched indiscriminate attacks against its neighbors in the region.”
asserted
regime → say → region
“The President is courageously ensuring that such an evil country never possesses a nuclear weapon, which will make the entire world safer and more stable,” Kelly added.
asserted
Kelly → ensure → weapon
Pezeshkian’s comments came two days after President Donald Trump said in a speech to world leaders at the U.N. that he believed the Iranian regime would not make a deal to settle the conflict until after the fall elections.
asserted
regime → come → elections
“I believe we’ll make a deal right after the election because it doesn’t make sense for them not to,” Trump said.
asserted
Trump → believe → sense
“They’re waiting to see how I do in the midterm election.”
asserted
I → wait → election
Polls show Democrats with an advantage heading into the November contests.
asserted
Polls → show → contests
The latest NBC News Decision Desk Poll found 31% of respondents approved of Trump’s handling of the Iran war, while another 69% disapproved.
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% → find → war
Trump on Tuesday also defended the conflict and said he was considering whether to “annihilate” the country or make a deal.
asserted
he → defend → deal
Trump has repeatedly said that the goal of attacking Iran was to prevent the development of a nuclear weapon.
asserted
goal → say → weapon
Soon after the war started, Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway through which some 20% of the world’s oil flowed before the conflict, sending shock waves through the world economy.
asserted
% → start → economy
In an exchange with news organizations, Pezeshkian said he has met with the Islamic Republic’s new leader twice — including a month ago, for seven hours.
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he → say → hours
Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei assumed the role in early March after his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in an Israeli attack that also killed family members and other senior leaders.
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that → assume → members
Pezeshkian said he did not see “any issues with his health or physical appearance” in their meetings, adding that they sat on the floor on traditional pillows.
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they → say → pillows
Mojtaba Khamenei was severely injured in the strike that killed his father, three people with knowledge of the matter told NBC News in July, with burns to his face and body and wounds that have required several operations to one of his legs.
asserted
that → injure → legs
Iran’s president briefly addressed other pressing issues affecting the relationship between Tehran and Washington.
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president → address → Tehran
He said his government was “open” to inspections of its nuclear facilities, which the regime has long maintained is for civilian purposes, and he insisted the regime was not seeking to assassinate the American president.
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regime → say → president
“This has not been the position of the Iranian government that we seek to assassinate President Trump or his family members,” Pezeshkian said.
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Pezeshkian → seek → Trump
The Justice Department last November charged an Iranian man in an alleged murder-for-hire effort to kill Trump when he was the Republican presidential candidate in 2024.
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he → charge → 2024
Two others were charged for allegedly planning to kill an Iranian American journalist and activist who has criticized the Iranian government over its treatment of women.
uncertain
who → charge → women
U.S. authorities said the plot was part of Iran’s efforts to avenge the death of a top Iranian general, Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in Baghdad in a U.S. drone strike Trump ordered during his first term in the White House.
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Trump → say → House
Pezeshkian has previously denied an Iranian plot to kill Trump, telling NBC News’ Lester Holt in Tehran last year that the regime would “never” do so.
asserted
regime → deny → Tehran
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