‘Annihilate’ vs ‘crushing’ attacks: Why Iran, US up rhetoric amid talks

Speaking on the first day of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Tuesday, United States President Donald Trump threatened to “annihilate” Iran. Hours later, he told reporters that US officials held a “very good” meeting with Iranian leaders.Iran’s military did not hold back. Dismissing Trump’s remarks, the Armed Forces General Staff – Iran’s highest military body – warned that it is ready to respond with “crushing” severer attacks than earlier in the war.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Trump: US-Iran meeting at UN was ‘very good’list 2 of 3US Republican calls for probe into Donald Trump Jr’s business dealingslist 3 of 3Iran cancels Baghdad, Muscat flights as US aviation sanctions take effectend of listIranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, though not in direct response to Trump, used similarly combative imagery in a message marking the start of Iran’s academic year, describing knowledge combined with faith and morality as a “sharp sword” capable of cutting off the hands of aggressors.Amid the rhetoric, the two sides held their first in-person meeting in months on the sidelines of the UNGA, reviving a diplomatic channel that had almost collapsed in the wake...