Iran, US open nuclear talks as Tehran responds to Trump’s ultimatum

 Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed on Tuesday that he has ordered the start of nuclear talks with the United States, responding to threats from President Donald Trump who warned that “bad things” would happen if no deal is reached.

“I have instructed my Minister of Foreign Affairs, provided that a suitable environment exists, one free from threats and unreasonable expectations — to pursue fair and equitable negotiations,” Pezeshkian wrote in a post on X.

The announcement marks a significant diplomatic opening between Tehran and Washington after months of escalating tensions that saw Trump deploy an aircraft carrier group to the Middle East and issue repeated warnings about potential military action.

Pezeshkian said he had given the go-ahead for the negotiations following “requests from friendly governments in the region.” “These negotiations shall be conducted within the framework of our national interests,” said Pezeshkian.

Iran’s top diplomat Abbas Araghchi is expected to meet US Special Representative Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Istanbul on Friday, three sources told CNN Monday, though neither Tehran nor Washington have officially confirmed those reports.

The negotiations would represent the first formal talks between the two nations since Trump administration military strikes on Iranian nuclear sites last summer.

Trump has maintained he is hopeful that Washington will “work something out” with Tehran but also warned that “bad things would happen” if no deal is reached. The US leader has talked of military action and sent an aircraft carrier group to the Middle East following anti-government protests in Iran last month that were met with a deadly crackdown.

Since returning to office in January 2025, Trump has reinstated a “maximum pressure” policy of sanctions against Iran, where millions have suffered economic hardships exacerbated by the trade curbs.

Tehran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei confirmed that indirect negotiations were continuing. “Countries of the region are acting as mediators in the exchange of messages,” he said, without giving detailsb.

Regional powers including Qatar, Turkey, Egypt and Oman have been pitching diplomatic processes to ease tensions between Washington and Tehran. Qatar’s foreign ministry said on Tuesday that diplomacy with Iran was “continuing very intensively.”

Meanwhile, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian that Riyadh will not allow its airspace or territory to be used for military actions against Tehran, state news agency SPA reported on Tuesday. The United Arab Emirates issued a similar statement.

Iran has repeatedly stressed that talks should remain focused solely on the nuclear issue, rejecting negotiations over its missile program or defense capabilities.

In an interview with CNN broadcast on Monday, Foreign Minister Araghchi acknowledged Iran’s lack of trust in the United States as a negotiating partner but noted that a deal on the nuclear issue was achievable. “So I see the possibility of another talk if the US negotiation team follows what President Trump said: to come to a fair and equitable deal to ensure that there is no nuclear weapon,” he said.

Nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington stalled last year after Israel launched an unprecedented bombing campaign against Iran in June, triggering a 12-day war. The Israeli strikes hit nuclear and military facilities as well as residential areas, killing senior military commanders, nuclear scientists and hundreds of others.

The United States briefly joined the conflict, carrying out strikes on key Iranian nuclear sites. Iran responded with drone and missile attacks on Israel, as well as by targeting the largest US military base in the Middle East, located in Qatar.

Protests against the rising cost of living broke out in Tehran in December before morphing into wider nationwide anti-government demonstrations. Tehran has acknowledged more than 3,000 deaths during the unrest, but insists that most were members of the security forces and innocent bystanders, attributing the violence to “terrorist acts”. .

The Human Rights Activists News Agency, a US-based NGO, said it has confirmed 6,854 deaths, mostly protesters killed by security forces, with other rights groups warning the figure is likely far higher.

While Pezeshkian is president, ultimate power in Iran rests with the country’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has warned of a “regional war” if the US attacked his country.

The coming days will reveal whether the tentative diplomatic opening can translate into substantive negotiations that defuse one of the world’s most dangerous standoffs.