President Donald Trump hailed “productive” talks between US and Iranian officials on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly Tuesday, hours after he threatened to “annihilate” Iran unless it agreed to end the war.
Oil prices fell as Trump said talks would continue, after earlier suggesting that a deal could arrive after the US’ November midterm elections.
In the meantime, the war has escalated at a mounting cost to Washington — which has spent at least $43.6 billion and expended difficult-to-replace munitions — and its allies: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman “will not forget” Trump’s reluctance to intervene against the Houthis, a former US military intelligence officer told the Financial Times.