President Donald Trump announced Monday that the United States will engage in direct discussions with Iran regarding its nuclear programme, while warning that Iran would face “great danger” if the talks fail to persuade Tehran to abandon its pursuit of nuclear weapons.
Iran, meanwhile, confirmed that talks will take place but maintained they will be indirect, mediated through a third party.
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Speaking to reporters following a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump said the negotiations will begin Saturday and stressed that Iran must not acquire nuclear weapons.
“We’re dealing with them directly and maybe a deal is going to be made,” Trump said, adding, “doing a deal would be preferable to doing the obvious.”
When asked whether he would resort to military action if a diplomatic resolution cannot be reached, Trump replied, “Iran is going to be in great danger, and I hate to say it.”
“If the talks aren’t successful, I think it’s going to be a very bad day for Iran,” he added.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, writing on X (a platform banned in Iran), asserted that the negotiations would not be face-to-face.
“Iran and the United States will meet in Oman on Saturday for indirect high-level talks,” he posted. “It is as much an opportunity as it is a test. The ball is in America’s court.”
Trump’s Letter Reopens Dialogue
Trump recently sent a letter to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei proposing direct negotiations on Iran’s accelerating nuclear programme. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said last month that while Tehran rejected the offer for direct talks, it remained open to indirect discussions with the U.S.
Trump, however, has repeatedly called on Iran — a key backer of Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthi rebels — to dismantle its nuclear programme or face consequences.
“If they don’t make a deal, there will be bombing,” Trump said in a March interview with NBC News. “It will be bombing the likes of which they have never seen before.”
During his first presidential term, Trump withdrew the U.S. from the 2015 nuclear deal brokered under President Barack Obama.
Netanyahu expressed support for Trump’s diplomatic initiative, stating that both the U.S. and Israel are committed to preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Notably, Netanyahu was a vocal critic of the original 2015 deal and encouraged Trump’s 2018 withdrawal.
The Israeli leader said he would welcome an agreement similar to Libya’s 2003 deal to dismantle its nuclear programme — a move that saw Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi give up his secret programme entirely. However, Iran insists its nuclear activities, under the oversight of the International Atomic Energy Agency, should continue.
“I think that would be a good thing,” Netanyahu said. “But whatever happens, we have to make sure that Iran does not have nuclear weapons.”
Trump noted that the talks would take place “at almost the highest level,” but declined to reveal the location or the identity of the lead U.S. negotiators.
While Oman played a key role in facilitating past U.S.-Iran discussions, it has not confirmed its involvement this time.
Netanyahu's Visit Highlights Regional Tensions, Trade Disputes
Trump announced the planned talks during Netanyahu’s sudden visit to the White House — his second in just over two months — where they also discussed Trump’s global tariff policies, Iran’s nuclear ambitions, and the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
The two leaders also touched on Iran’s regional influence, Israel’s relationship with Turkey, and the International Criminal Court (ICC), which issued a warrant for Netanyahu’s arrest last year. In February, Trump signed an executive order imposing sanctions on the ICC over its probes involving Israel.
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Ahead of their meeting, Trump had phone calls with French President Emmanuel Macron, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, and Jordan’s King Abdullah II — all of whom are involved in efforts to calm tensions in the region and end the Israel-Hamas war.
On Sunday evening, Netanyahu met with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and U.S. Trade Representative Jameson Greer to discuss tariffs. On Monday, he met Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff before speaking with the president.
Netanyahu said he assured Trump that Israel would address its trade imbalance with the U.S., which stood at $7.4 billion in 2024 out of $37 billion in total bilateral trade.
“We will eliminate the trade deficit with the United States,” Netanyahu said. “We intend to do it very quickly.”
Trump pointed out that beyond trade, the U.S. provides nearly $4 billion in annual assistance to Israel, mostly for military purposes. When asked whether he would consider lowering Israel’s tariff rate, Trump said, “Maybe not, maybe not. Don’t forget we help Israel a lot.”
Instead of economic concessions, Trump might pressure Netanyahu to make progress towards ending the war in Gaza — possibly through a temporary truce with Hamas to pause hostilities and release hostages.
Eytan Gilboa, a U.S.-Israel relations expert at Israel’s Bar-Ilan University, said Trump aims to return from his upcoming trip to Saudi Arabia with movement on normalising ties between Israel and the kingdom — a development that would likely require Israeli compromises in Gaza.
Such progress could bolster Trump’s regional standing and reinforce diplomatic pressure on Iran, against which he has signalled intentions to impose new sanctions or take military action.
Trade and Tariff Issues Loom Large
Last week, in anticipation of U.S. tariffs, Israel announced it was eliminating duties on U.S. imports, mostly agricultural products. However, the move did not exempt it from Trump’s broader trade actions.
Despite being a relatively small market for U.S. goods, Israel is a significant trade partner, especially in high-tech services — which are less affected by tariffs. Still, critical Israeli sectors could feel the impact.
According to the Manufacturers Association of Israel, Trump’s tariffs could cost the country $3 billion annually in exports and result in 26,000 job losses across industries such as biotechnology, chemicals, plastics, and electronics.
Israel’s GDP, according to the World Bank, exceeds $500 billion annually.