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Trump says US and Iran beginning direct talks on Tehran’s nuclear programme

During meeting with Israeli PM Netanyahu at the White House, Trump warned Tehran of ‘great danger’ if talks are not successful

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US President Donald Trump, right, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during their meeting in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington on Monday. Photo: EPA-EFE

US President Donald Trump said on Monday that the United States and Iran were beginning direct talks on Tehran’s nuclear programme, a surprise announcement after Iranian officials had appeared to rebuff US calls for such negotiations.

But in a sign of the difficult path ahead to any deal between the two geopolitical foes, Trump issued a stark warning that if the talks are unsuccessful, “Iran is going to be in great danger”.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed the meeting on Tuesday, saying the talks will take place in Oman on Saturday.

“It is as much an opportunity as it is a test. The ball is in America’s court,” Araghchi said in a social media post.

Iran’s state media said the talks would be led by Araghchi and Trump’s special Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, with the intermediation of Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi.

Iran had pushed back against Trump’s demands in recent weeks that it directly negotiate over its nuclear programme or be bombed, but it had recently left the door open to indirect discussions.

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