Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has confirmed that he has instructed his government to begin nuclear negotiations with the United States, following threats from President Donald Trump.
Trump had warned of “bad things” if no deal is reached, even sending an aircraft carrier group to the Middle East after anti-government protests in Iran last month, which were met with a deadly crackdown. While maintaining that Washington hopes to reach an agreement with Tehran, Trump also cautioned that failure to do so could have serious consequences.
President Pezeshkian emphasized that the talks will occur “within the framework of our national interests” and only in a conducive environment free from threats or unreasonable expectations. He added that the initiative followed requests from friendly governments.
A senior UAE official, Anwar Gargash, encouraged direct Iranian-American negotiations to resolve ongoing tensions. Although no official location has been confirmed, an anonymous Arab official told AFP that the talks may take place in Turkey on Friday, following diplomatic interventions by Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and Oman.
Iran insists that discussions remain focused on the nuclear issue, rejecting talks regarding its missile program or defense capabilities. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi noted that while Iran has lost some trust in the US as a negotiating partner, a fair and equitable nuclear deal remains possible.
The nuclear negotiations follow last year’s escalation, when Israel launched a bombing campaign against Iran in June, sparking a 12-day conflict. Iran retaliated with missile and drone attacks on Israel and the largest US military base in the Middle East, located in Qatar.
Since January last year, Trump reinstated “maximum pressure” sanctions, worsening economic hardships for millions of Iranians. Protests against rising living costs in December escalated into nationwide demonstrations, with Tehran acknowledging over 3,000 deaths, while NGOs suggest the figure could be far higher.
Iranian authorities described the protests as riots fueled by external adversaries, with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warning of a possible “regional war” if the US attacks. Meanwhile, a massive fire broke out at a bazaar west of Tehran on Tuesday, though the cause remains unclear.
