Iran, US to hold 'indirect' talks on nuclear programme, Trump warns of military action if...

Iran sought a "real and fair" agreement with the US on its nuclear programme, a senior aide to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Friday. The latest comments setting the stage for a diplomatic showdown this weekend in Oman.

"Far from putting up a show and merely talking in front of the cameras, Tehran is seeking a real and fair agreement, important and implementable proposals are ready," Khamenei adviser Ali Shamkhani posted on X.

According to news agency AFP, Iran and the United States are set to hold talks on Saturday aimed at reaching a deal on Tehran's nuclear programme.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US special envoy Steve Witkoff are due to lead the talks in Oman, which has played a mediating role on the Iran nuclear issue.

Shamkhani confirmed that Araghchi was heading to Oman "with full authority for indirect negotiations with America". He said that if Washington showed goodwill, the path forward would be "smooth".

Iran had said on April 9 a new nuclear deal could be agreed with the US provided Tehran's longtime adversary shows sufficient goodwill in upcoming talks, as Israel warned of military action if talks drag on.

Trump warns

Last month, US President Donald Trump wrote to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urging negotiations, but warning of possible military action if Iran refuses.

Ahead of the talks on Saturday, Trump reiterated that military action was "absolutely" possible if they failed.

Warning of military action against Iran should the talks fail, Trump said US ally Israel would "obviously be very much involved in that, be the leader of that".

Iran responded by saying Tehran could expel UN nuclear inspectors. This prompted another US warning that this would be an "escalation".

"Transfer of enriched materials to secure locations may also be considered," Khamenei's adviser Shamkhani added of Iran's uranium enrichment activities.

Iran has consistently denied seeking to acquire nuclear weapons.

"If the American side does not raise irrelevant issues and demands, and puts aside threats and intimidation, there is a good possibility of reaching an agreement," deputy foreign minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi said.

On Friday, foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Iran was "giving diplomacy a genuine chance in good faith and full vigilance".

"America should appreciate this decision, which was made despite their hostile rhetoric," he said.

Iran-US talks direct or indirect?

Trump had first announced the Iran-US talks during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Washington, AFP reported. He said the talks would be high-level and "direct", but Iran insisted they would be "indirect".

"The talks will be conducted indirectly through the exchange of texts," claimed Iran's Fars news agency, without naming a source.

White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt insisted Friday that the talks would be direct, "and I want to make that very clear".

She told reporters in Washington, “The president believes in diplomacy, direct talks, talking directly in the same room.”

2015 nuclear deal

Meanwhile, expert-level consultations between Russia, China and Iran on nuclear issues were held in Moscow on Tuesday, Russia's foreign ministry had said.

In recent months, Iran has also been talking with the three European parties — Britain, France and Germany – over the 2015 nuclear deal. The 2015 accord saw sanctions relief for Iran in exchange for limits on its nuclear programme.

On Friday, the European Union cautioned that there was "no alternative to diplomacy" on the Iranian nuclear issue.

US sanctions on Iran

The US imposed additional sanctions on Iran on Thursday, targeting its oil network and nuclear programme. Iran's nuclear agency chief Mohammad Eslami downplayed their impact.

"They applied maximum pressure with various sanctions, but they were unable to prevent the country from progressing," he was quoted by AFP as saying.

“They still think that they can stop this nation and country with threats and intimidation, psychological operations, or stupid actions,” Eslami said.

(With inputs from agencies)