U.S. President Donald Trump stated his belief that Iran is prepared for direct talks regarding its nuclear program, according to Bloomberg.
"I believe they prefer direct discussions instead of correspondence; forget about the letters," Trump said to journalists while on board Air Force One.
His comments followed the previous day when Tehran expressed its readiness to engage in negotiations via mediators. Nevertheless, Trump stated his preference for direct one-on-one discussions with Iranian officials, suggesting that such conversations might facilitate the process of coming to an agreement.
The President stated, 'I believe this process moves more swiftly and allows for much clearer comprehension of opposing viewpoints compared to involving middlemen. Some parties wished to employ intermediaries; however, I don’t agree with that approach as strongly today. It seems these individuals are worried and may perceive themselves as exposed. This vulnerability must be avoided.'
On Wednesday, during a telephone talk between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his Dutch counterpart, Caspar Veldkamp, Araghchi stated that Iran is prepared for sincere negotiations based on mutual respect and equality. He made this point somewhat subtly.
Additionally, last week, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian mentioned that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had turned down the possibility of direct negotiations with the Trump administration because of its aggressive military posturing.
In 2018, as Bloomberg remembers, Trump single-handedly pulled the U.S. out of an international pact aimed at curbing Iran’s nuclear program in return for lifting economic penalties. After heading back to the White House, he resumed what he termed his "maximum pressure" strategy towards Tehran, intensifying sanctions and threatening potential military intervention should negotiations toward a fresh deal falter.
Iran appeals to the United Nations regarding Trump
On April 2nd, Iran submitted a grievance to the UN Security Council regarding the unreasonable and hostile remarks from U.S. President Donald Trump. Furthermore, Tehran cautioned against potential military aggression.