US President Donald Trump announced that the United States will hold direct negotiations at a “very high level“ with Iran to limit Tehran's nuclear program, the headline in the “Financial Times“ newspaper, BTA reports.
“We will talk directly with them. "Maybe a deal will be reached - that would be great," the American leader added.
Trump said this after his talks yesterday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during which Iran, US tariffs on Israel and the war in Gaza were discussed, the British edition notes.
Netanyahu said that the two leaders were "united by the goal of preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon."
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that Iran and the United States would hold indirect "high-level talks" on Saturday in Oman, which has previously mediated the talks.
“This is as much an opportunity as it is a test,“ Araghchi said of the talks, adding: “The ball is in America's court.“
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has previously ruled out talks with the Trump administration, citing the reimposition of US sanctions and Washington's threats of military action if Tehran refuses to compromise on its nuclear programme and its defence and regional policies.
However, Iranian diplomats have suggested that indirect talks through intermediaries such as Oman would be possible if they were strictly limited to the nuclear issue, the Financial Times reported.
Iran has said that if new talks are held, they would aim to explore the possibility of an agreement, similar to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), from which Trump withdrew the US in 2018, during his first term.
Trump also praised Netanyahu for his efforts to free the remaining 59 Israeli hostages held by “Hamas“. The Israeli prime minister has drawn criticism and street protests for his decision to break the ceasefire agreement with the Palestinian armed group. Without giving further details, the US president said that a new ceasefire could be possible, but the decision is up to Netanyahu.
Trump announced to Netanyahu the resumption of talks between the US and Iran, the French newspaper headlined. “Le Monde“.
“We are in direct negotiations with Iran and they have already begun“, Trump pointed out.
This was the first thing the American president told reporters in the Oval Office yesterday after talking with his guest, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, who is visiting the White House for the second time in two months.
According to Trump, if these negotiations fail to resolve the nuclear issue, it will be “a very bad day for Iran“, which will find itself “in great danger“.
The American president said this as an indirect threat of military strikes, the French publication points out.
“I think it would be in Iran's interest if they succeed“, Trump added.
The United States believes that Iran is at a point of weakness after the strikes on “Hezbollah“ in Lebanon and the recent military campaign of US strikes against the Houthis in Yemen, notes “Monde“.
The US president mentioned a planned meeting on Saturday at “very high level“ with Iran, writes in a headline in another French publication “Figaro“.
This was another sensational statement by Trump, who is known for not showing enthusiasm for complex diplomatic negotiations. For his part, Iran has made it clear that it is not inclined to direct negotiations with the US, the French newspaper points out.
Close allies during the monarchy of Shah Pahlavi, the two countries have not maintained diplomatic relations since 1980, when American diplomats were taken hostage in the US embassy in Tehran after the Islamic Revolution. However, the two countries are in indirect contact through the Swiss embassy in Tehran. The Sultanate of Oman has also acted as a mediator on several occasions, and Qatar to a lesser extent, Le Figaro points out.
Meanwhile, Iran is expected to hold consultations on the nuclear issue with its close partners Russia and China in Moscow today, the French publication notes.