US President Donald Trump will place Iran's nuclear ambitions at the heart of American diplomacy at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) next week, with meetings scheduled with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) leaders and US officials signalling continued economic pressure on entities doing business with Tehran.

What Trump Plans at the UN

Trump is scheduled to address the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, followed by a sit-down with Gulf Cooperation Council leaders in New York. Officials confirmed that Iran's nuclear programme would be a central subject, though they declined to confirm whether Trump or other US representatives would hold direct talks with Iranian officials.

US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz told reporters that Trump's speech would emphasise the imperative of ensuring Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon — a demand, Waltz noted, that has been repeatedly enshrined in UN Security Council resolutions. The address is also expected to touch on diplomatic agreements, unresolved conflicts, and progress on Trump's 20-point Gaza peace plan.

Iran Delegation Granted Visas, But Talks Unconfirmed

A senior US official confirmed that Washington had issued visas to an Iranian delegation for the General Assembly gathering. The delegation would be smaller than last year's, according to the official. Asked about the possibility of direct US-Iran meetings on the sidelines, the official declined to pre-empt the final schedules of the president or secretary of state.

This comes amid sustained American-led pressure on Iran. Officials claimed, without providing supporting economic data, that sanctions had driven Iran's currency to a record low and pushed inflation to a record high. One official was quoted as saying: 'In one way or another, we expect the Iranian regime to abandon its pursuit of a nuclear weapon.'

Sanctions Pressure and the China Dimension

US officials made clear that economic coercion would run in parallel with diplomacy. Washington has imposed sanctions this year on entities in China and Hong Kong accused of facilitating revenue and oil transactions that, according to US officials, supported Iran's war efforts. One official said: 'So I think that will continue going forward.'

Notably, the sanctions warning came ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to Washington, scheduled to begin after Trump returns from New York. Officials did not announce any agreement with Beijing on Iran-related sanctions, making the timing diplomatically pointed.

On energy, an official — citing figures attributed to the US energy secretary — said oil flows through alternative routes were averaging 10 million to 11 million barrels a day, arguing this was reducing Iran's leverage over the Strait of Hormuz. The briefing did not specify which routes were included in that figure.

Broader US Agenda at the UNGA

Despite Iran's prominence, officials stressed the US delegation's programme would extend well beyond Tehran. Topics on the agenda reportedly include artificial intelligence governance, seabed minerals, undersea cables, attacks on civilian shipping and infrastructure, and freedom of navigation in international waterways.

Trump's Tuesday schedule also includes bilateral meetings with the British and Japanese prime ministers, a reception for world leaders, and an encounter with Venezuela's acting president. He is expected to return to the White House that evening.

How far Washington's dual-track approach — combining diplomacy with intensifying sanctions — can shift Iran's calculus will be closely watched in the days ahead.