Importance Score: 55 / 100 🔵
Donald Trump announced on Monday (April 7) the US and Iran will hold a “very big meeting” on Saturday, April 12, over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. The president has insisted Tehran cannot get nuclear weapons.
He told reporters at the White House: “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 to doing the obvious,” – the President did not elaborate what he meant by this. “Hopefully those talks will be successful, it would be in Iran’s best interests if they are successful,” he continued. “We hope that’s going to happen.”
Mr Trump noted that the situation is getting into “very dangerous territory”.
According to the US President, the talks are taking place “at almost the highest level”.
Mr Trump made the comments to reporters during an Oval Office meeting with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.
When asked if he was ready to take military action in Iran, Mr Trump said: “I think if the talks are not successful with Iran, Iran is going to be in great danger.
“If the talks are not successful, I actually think that will be a very bad day for Iran,” he added.
Last month, President Trump threatened Iran with bombing if Tehran did not come to an agreement with Washington over its nuclear program.
“If they don’t make a deal, there will be bombing,” Trump said in a telephone interview, according to Reuters. “It will be bombing the likes of which they have never seen before.”
On March 7 Mr Trump said had written to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to suggest talks. Iranian officials said at the time that Tehran would not be bullied into negotiations.
Tehran says its nuclear program is wholly for civilian energy purposes.