Iran has responded to US President Donald Trump's threat to “annihilate” the Islamic Republic with an unusual social media jab, sharing a clip from Telugu actor Nandamuri Balakrishna's action film Bhagavanth Kesari.
The Iranian Embassy in Zimbabwe posted the 58-second video on X, showing Balakrishna's character in an intense confrontation with armed men carrying rifles, riot shields and other weapons. The post appeared to suggest that Iran was prepared to defend itself against any US military action.
“Trump talks about annihilating Iran. But he knows Iran is not defenceless. Since we informed they have recently been watching Bollywood instead of Hollywood,” the embassy wrote.
The post was part of a broader pattern of Iranian social media messaging aimed at Trump and the United States. However, the embassy's reference to Bollywood was factually incorrect: Bhagavanth Kesari is a Telugu-language film, directed by Anil Ravipudi and starring Balakrishna, Kajal Aggarwal, Sreeleela and Arjun Rampal. The distinction was quickly noted online.
Trump weighs deal or military action
The Iranian embassy's post came a day after Trump issued his warning during his address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Trump said he faced what he described as a “big decision” over Iran, presenting a choice between reaching an agreement that would allow the country to rebuild and “annihilat[ing] the Islamic Republic” if a deal could not be reached.
“I have a big decision to make,” Trump said, asking whether a deal could allow Iran to become “a far greater country than it ever was before” or whether the United States should “annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly”.
Trump has continued to say that Iran must not be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon. In his UNGA address, he also urged countries to economically isolate Tehran. Reuters reported that Trump indicated he expected a potential deal after the November US midterm elections.
The remarks came as Washington and Tehran continued to signal that diplomacy remained possible despite the military confrontation.
Three-hour talks held in New York
Hours after Trump's UNGA speech, US and Iranian officials held talks on the sidelines of the General Assembly.
Trump later said his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner had met Iranian officials for about three hours. He described the meeting as “very good” and said further discussions would take place in the “near future”. Trump also acknowledged that the Iranian representatives were not from the country's highest level of leadership.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said the discussions took place indirectly through Qatari mediators. Iran's delegation maintained its negotiating position, demanding an end to the US blockade of Iranian ports and the release of frozen Iranian assets.
Other reporting said Tehran had also linked any diplomatic resolution to the lifting of sanctions and restrictions affecting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
The talks came as Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian travelled to New York for the UNGA. His appearance was notable because it marked his first speech at the assembly since the US and Israel launched the war in February.
Pezeshkian rejects US pressure at UN
Pezeshkian addressed the General Assembly on Wednesday, a day after Trump's warning.
The Iranian president said Tehran would not yield to military pressure or sanctions and maintained that Iran's nuclear programme was peaceful. He also accused the United States and Israel of attacking Iranian civilians and described Iran as a victim of terrorism.
Pezeshkian held up photographs of victims of strikes on a primary school in Minab and a sports complex in Lamerd. He said more than 150 people, including children, were killed in the school strike and 22 civilians died in the attack on the sports facility. The United States has disputed allegations concerning its military actions and has an investigation into the Minab strike.
He also rejected demands for restrictions on Iran's nuclear technology, arguing that Iran was being subjected to international scrutiny while Israel, which is widely believed to possess nuclear weapons, was not subject to the same requirements.
The US delegation walked out at the start of Pezeshkian's speech, according to reporting cited by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
Pezeshkian also addressed the Strait of Hormuz, saying Iran could not provide unrestricted access to a waterway while it was being used by countries he accused of aggression against Iran.
Rubio says Trump remains open to meeting Pezeshkian
Before the US-Iranian talks took place, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Trump was open to meeting Pezeshkian during the UNGA.
“This is a president that will meet with anybody for the most part,” Rubio said, adding that Trump believed engagement was important even when it did not result in agreement.
Rubio maintained that Iran could not be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon and said a diplomatic agreement would also have to address what Washington describes as Tehran's support for regional proxies and militant groups. He said the alternatives would include sanctions, military action or both.
Iran's presence at the UNGA has drawn particular attention because the country is participating in the annual diplomatic gathering while the United States and Iran remain in conflict. Iran, a founding member of the United Nations, has participated in the forum for decades, with Pezeshkian among its most recent representatives and the late Ebrahim Raisi having previously represented the country.
The latest exchange between Tehran and Washington therefore combines two sharply contrasting tracks: increasingly forceful public rhetoric, including Trump's “annihilate” warning, alongside continuing diplomatic contacts in New York. The Iranian embassy's Balakrishna video added a distinctly cinematic dimension to the confrontation.