United Nations Limousines whisked world leaders away from the United Nations after a week of speeches, meetings and hallway diplomacy. While they reached no breakthroughs on the world's most intractable conflicts, talks on the Iran and Ukraine wars inched forward and global powers used the venue to debate AI risks with industry leaders. Here are the big takeaways from scores of panels, hundreds of meetings, hours spent in lines and listening to speeches and countless cups of coffee: The UN was probably most useful for facilitating the first shuttle talks between American and Iranian officials since ‌the collapse of a ceasefire in July. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner communicated through mediators. The efforts must continue, a senior Iranian official, even as Iranian and American leaders exchanged sharp words at the General Assembly hall, with the US threatening to "annihilate" Iran and Iran accusing the US of a "bullying mentality." The senior Iranian official said Tehran was reviewing Washington's response to its proposals, which include lifting a US naval blockade on Iranian ports and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. But no agreement appeared imminent. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio cautioned that a deal would involve hard work over time. Rubio also held talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, after which he said Ukraine and Russia had both voiced an interest in a limited ceasefire involving grain and energy-related targets. Ukraine and its allies are ⁠racing to secure limited agreements on energy infrastructure and Black Sea shipping before winter, fearing renewed Russian strikes on power and heating facilities. But hours after Rubio spoke on Wednesday, Lavrov addressed the Security Council meeting on Ukraine, showing no indication Russia was prepared to engage on any subject. "Europe, whatever it thinks, just wants to get a pause, and it wants to use it to pump the Kyiv regime with weapons," Lavrov said.