- Iran has previously pushed back against Donald Trump’s demand that it enter direct negotiations, but the U.S. President has now said discussions “at almost the highest level” have begun
Iran has contradicted President Donald Trump, saying it is not having any “direct talks” with the U.S. over its nuclear programme, insisting the talks due to take place in Oman on Saturday would be conducted through an intermediary.
Trump has insisted Tehran cannot get nuclear weapons, stating Iran will be in “great danger” if the negotiations fail.
Iran has consistently pushed back against the U.S. President’s demand that it enter negotiations over its nuclear programme or be bombed.
But speaking at the White House on Monday, Trump said: “We’re having direct talks with Iran, and they’ve started. It’ll go on Saturday.
“We have a very big meeting, and we’ll see what can happen. And I think everybody agrees that doing a deal would be preferable.”
When pressed for more details on the talks, the U.S. President said they are taking place “at almost the highest level,” without specifying who would take part or where they would be held.
“Hopefully those talks will be successful, it would be in Iran’s best interests if they are successful,” he said. “We hope that’s going to happen.
Speaking in the Oval Office on Monday, Mr Trump said Iran “cannot have a nuclear weapon, and if the talks aren’t successful, I actually think it will be a very bad day for Iran”.
However, Mr Trump’s bullish comments were not matched by Tehran.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on X that indirect high-level talks would be held in Oman, adding: “It is as much an opportunity as it is a test. The ball is in America’s court.”
On Tuesday, Iran’s State media said the talks would be led by Mr Araghchi and U.S. Presidential envoy Steve Witkoff, with Oman’s Foreign Minister, Badr al Busaidi, acting as intermediary.
Mr Trump’s previous warnings of possible military action against Iran heightened already tense nerves across the Middle East.
He has said he would prefer a deal over military confrontation and in March wrote to Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to suggest talks. Iranian officials at the time said Tehran would not be bullied into negotiations.
Direct talks would not occur without the explicit approval of Iran’s supreme leader, who said in February that negotiations with the US were “not smart, wise, or honourable”.
During his first White House term, Mr Trump withdrew the U.S. from a deal between Iran and world powers designed to curb Iran’s nuclear work in exchange for sanctions relief.
He also reimposed US sanctions.
Iran has since far surpassed that deal’s limits on uranium enrichment.
Tehran insists its nuclear programme is wholly for civilian energy purposes but Western powers accuse it of having a clandestine agenda.
Written with News Agency, Sky News reports
