The U.S. and Iran held direct talks in New York on Sept. 23, the first since June.
Why it matters: The talks mark a concrete diplomatic contact after months of rupture in the nuclear track. They also come as U.S.-Iran tensions continue to carry regional security and energy market implications.
- The talks took place Sept. 23 in New York during U.N. General Assembly high-level week.
- BBC reported it was the first direct U.S.-Iran contact since June 2026.
- BBC Monitoring said the sixth planned round of U.S.-Iran nuclear talks was canceled after Israeli attacks on June 13, helping trigger the 12-day war.
- Axios reported Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Trump was open to meeting Iranian officials in New York.
The United States and Iran held direct talks in New York on Sept. 23, according to BBC. Axios separately reported that Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Trump was open to meeting Iranian officials in New York, while AP said mediation efforts were taking place as leaders gathered for U.N. meetings.
The Sept. 23 contact came after the June breakdown in the nuclear track. BBC Monitoring said the sixth planned round of U.S.-Iran nuclear talks was canceled after Israeli attacks on June 13, which helped trigger the 12-day war. That left the two sides without the direct channel that had been building around the nuclear issue.
AP reported that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi were in New York for the annual U.N. session. The reporting places the talks in the context of U.N. General Assembly week, but does not describe them as a formal summit or a long-running negotiation session.
The publicly reported details are limited. For now, the confirmed development is that direct U.S.-Iran contact resumed in New York after the June collapse in talks.
By the numbers
- Sept. 23, 2026 - Date of the reported direct U.S.-Iran talks in New York.
- 6th planned round - The nuclear talks round BBC Monitoring said was canceled after June 13 attacks.
- 12-day war - BBC Monitoring said the June attacks helped trigger the conflict.
Yes, but: The reporting confirms direct contact, but not a broader breakthrough or agreement.
What's next: U.N. General Assembly week in New York remains the immediate forum for any follow-up contact.