US and Iran hold first talks since June after Trump's 'annihilation' threat

The BBC asked Witkoff how the meetings had gone as he was leaving the UN building and he responded with a thumbs up. Witkoff later confirmed on X that the talks had been held "through the mediators, who shuttled between the two sides throughout the day"."They successfully completed a round of discussions that we hope will prove constructive and promising," Witkoff said. "The mediators will continue their work."Since the ceasefire collapsed, both sides have intermittently exchanged fire. Iran has attacked vessels it says have attempted to cross the Strait of Hormuz without authorisation.The US has attacked Iranian sites in the strait - as well as Iranian tankers off the country's coast.The US has also maintained a blockade of Iranian ports, causing a huge disruption to the Iranian economy. In an effort to force Tehran to agree a deal to end the conflict, President Trump has also threatened sanctions against any country that continues trading with Iran. But so far, there has been no indication of a change of course in Iran, which insists the US and Israel end their war, including against the Iran-backed Shia group Hezbollah in Lebanon which Israel has been attacking. Yemen's Houthis - also allied to Iran - have recently intesified attacks aimed at disrupting oil shipping from Saudi Arabia, promting an escalation of the conflict with the kingdom.