Donald Trump announces talks with Iran at the weekend

US President Donald Trump has announced “direct conversations” with Iran for the weekend. “We have a big meeting on Saturday, where we will negotiate with you,” said Trump on Monday when visiting the Israeli head of government Benjamin Netanyahu in the White House. The conversations with Tehran took place “almost on the highest level”. “Maybe there is an agreement, that would be great,” said Trump.

The Iranian side confirmed Trump’s announcement a few hours later, but spoke of “indirect” conversations in the Golf state of Oman. “Iran and the United States will meet in Oman on Saturday for indirect conversations on a high level,” said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi on Tuesday in the online service X.

It was only on Sunday that Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghtschi rejected Trump’s proposal for direct negotiations on the Tehrans nuclear program. “Direct negotiations with someone who is constantly threatening” are “senseless,” said Araghtschi. Iran remains ready for indirect negotiations, but will also defend “its national interests and sovereignty”.

Since his re -entry into the White House, Trump had openly shown himself to a dialogue with Tehran about the Iranian nuclear program. At the same time, he last threatened “bombing” if there was no agreement.

Western states have accused Iran of building on nuclear weapons for years. Tehran denies this. In 2015, Iran signed an agreement with the West that provided the relaxation of sanctions in return for a restriction of the Iranian nuclear program. During the first presidency of Trump, the United States retired one -sidedly from the agreement in 2018. Efforts to revive the nuclear agreement has failed since then.