President Donald Trump has announced that the United States and Iran have started direct talks on Tehran’s nuclear programme. The announcement came during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office.
Trump told reporters the talks had already begun and a “very big meeting” would take place on Saturday. He added, “Everybody agrees that doing a deal would be preferable.”
The surprise move follows weeks of public tension, with Iranian officials previously rejecting direct negotiations. Trump had earlier warned of possible military action if Iran refused talks. He had also written to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei proposing direct discussions.
Iran had insisted it would not be coerced into dialogue, especially after Trump reimposed sanctions and withdrew the U.S. from the 2015 nuclear agreement. Since then, Iran has far surpassed the 2015 deal’s limits on uranium enrichment. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iran has enriched uranium up to 60% purity—far beyond the 3.67% cap originally agreed under the JCPOA.
Western powers have accused Tehran of seeking weapons-grade nuclear material. Iran insists its programme is solely for civilian energy use.
Trump’s announcement marks a significant shift in U.S. strategy and could signal a new diplomatic phase in the long-running standoff.
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