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Donald Trump warns Iran of ‘great danger’ as US set for direct nuclear talks
Donald Trump said the talks would take place “at almost the highest level,” but he did not disclose the location.
Amid rising tensions in the Middle East, President Donald Trump said Monday the US will hold direct talks with Iran about its nuclear programme, while warning Tehran it would be in “great danger” if the talks aren't successful.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the president said the talks will start Saturday. He added, “Tehran can’t get nuclear weapons.”
“We're dealing with them directly and maybe a deal is going to be made,” Trump said. “Doing a deal would be preferable to doing the obvious,” he added.
When asked whether he would commit to military action if negotiations with Tehran failed, President Donald Trump said, “Iran is going to be in great danger, and I hate to say it.”
He further warned, “If the talks aren't successful, I think it's going to be a very bad day for Iran.”
During his first term in the White House, Trump withdrew the US from the landmark nuclear deal negotiated under former Democratic President Barack Obama.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, meanwhile, expressed support for Trump’s diplomatic efforts, saying Israel and the US share the same objective of preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.
Trump mentioned that the talks would happen “at almost the highest level,” but he did not reveal the location or identify the officials who would lead the sensitive negotiations.
The announcement came during a sudden visit by Netanyahu to the White House — his second in just over two months — where discussions focused on global tariffs, Iran's nuclear programme, and the Israel-Hamas war.
Trump defends scrapping Iran nuclear deal
By pulling the US out of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, Trump claimed he was making the world safer. However, the move also heightened his international isolation and raised renewed concerns about America's global credibility.
The deal, which also involved Britain, China, France, Germany, and Russia, had led to the lifting of most US and international economic sanctions on Iran.
Commenting on how a new agreement might differ from the one negotiated under the Obama administration, Trump said, “I think it'll be, different and maybe a lot stronger.”
Trump and Netanyahu said their talks also covered tensions with Iran, relations between Israel and Turkey, and the International Criminal Court, which had issued an arrest warrant for the Israeli leader last year.
In February, Trump signed an executive order imposing sanctions on the ICC in response to its investigations into Israel.
With AP inputs
