Trump seriously considering Iran's offer of indirect talks
The White House is seriously considering an Iranian proposal for indirect nuclear talks, a media outlet has reported.
MNA- The White House is seriously considering an Iranian proposal for indirect nuclear talks, a media outlet has reported.
Trump has claimed that he'd prefer a deal but meanwhile threatened that without one, "there will be bombing."
Axios reported that Trump gave Iran a two-month deadline to reach a deal, but it's not clear if and when that clock started ticking.
Over the weekend, Trump received Iran's formal response to the letter he sent to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei three weeks ago, a US official said.
While Trump proposed direct nuclear negotiations, the Iranians would agree only to indirect talks mediated by Oman.
A US official told Axios that the Trump administration thinks direct talks would have a higher chance of success but isn't ruling out the format the Iranians proposed and doesn't object to the Omanis serving as mediators between the countries, as the Arab state has in the past.
Both US officials said no decision has been made and internal discussions are ongoing. "After the exchange of letters, we are now exploring next steps in order to begin conversations and trust building with the Iranians," one said.
In early March, US President Donald Trump said that he had sent a letter to Tehran, saying he hoped Iran would agree to hold talks.
Trump claimed he wanted to negotiate a nuclear deal with Iran and sent a letter to its leadership. "I said I hope you're going to negotiate, because it's going to be a lot better for Iran," Trump claimed in the interview with Fox Business Network broadcast.
Several days later, Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Advisor to the President of the United Arab Emirates, and his accompanying Emirati delegation, handed over Trump's letter to Iran in a meeting with the Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. The text of Trump's letter has not been disclosed as of yet.
A day after receiving the letter from the Emirati delegation, Araghchi stressed that Tehran will not enter direct talks with the US unless Washington guarantees talks free from threats. The top Iranian diplomat reiterated Tehran's will to negotiate under principles of 'honor, wisdom, expediency. '
Commenting on the developments on March 30, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed that the door to holding indirect talks with Washington remains open.
On the very same day on which Iran expressed its readiness to engage in indirect talks with the US, Donald Trump took a hostile position and warned of bombings and renewed sanctions against Iran, showing Washington’s preference for threats over diplomacy.
Trump's threats brought strong reactions from high-ranking Iranian officials, with the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei stressing that if the US commits any evil act against Iran, it will definitely receive a strong and reciprocal response.
