Iran ready for direct talks on nuclear program - Trump
Donald Trump (photo: Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump said he believes Iran is ready for direct negotiations over its nuclear program, reports Bloomberg.
"Forget about letters, I think they want to have direct talks," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One.
His remarks came a day after Tehran signaled its willingness to negotiate through intermediaries. However, Trump added that he prefers a face-to-face discussion with Iran, saying such talks could make reaching agreements easier.
"I think it goes faster and you can understand the other side a lot better than if you go through intermediaries. They wanted to use intermediaries. I don’t think that’s necessarily true anymore. I think they’re concerned. I think they feel vulnerable, and I don’t want them to feel that way," the US president said.
On Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a phone conversation with his Dutch counterpart, Caspar Veldkamp, that Iran was ready for genuine negotiations from a position of equality and indirectly.
Furthermore, last week, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had rejected the prospect of direct talks with the Trump administration due to its military threats.
Bloomberg recalls that in 2018, Trump unilaterally withdrew the US from a global agreement that restricted Iran's nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. Upon returning to the White House, he reinstated his so-called maximum pressure campaign against Tehran, tightening sanctions and warning of possible military action if efforts to reach a new agreement failed.
Iran appeals to the UN over Trump
On Wednesday, April 2, Iran filed a complaint with the UN Security Council over the irrational and belligerent threats made by US President Donald Trump. Additionally, Tehran warned against any military adventurism.
