Washington, 8 April 2025 (dpa/MIA) - President Donald Trump said on Monday that the United States plans on having direct talks with Iran.

"We have a very big meeting on Saturday and we're dealing with them directly," Trump said, adding that the talks would be "almost the highest level" between the two countries.

Elsewhere, Trump said the talks were already underway. The US president made the comments on the sidelines of a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was visiting the White House on Monday.

Trump warned of consequences for Iran if the talks failed.

"I think if the talks aren't successful with Iran, I think Iran's going to be in great danger," Trump said.

"Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon and if the talks aren't successful I actually think it will be a very bad day for Iran."

Netanyahu also emphasized that Tehran must not acquire nuclear weapons under any circumstances.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had recently rejected direct negotiations over the country's nuclear programme with the Trump administration, saying instead that Tehran was open to indirect negotiations.

Iran is not opposed to negotiations, he said, but the United States must first correct its past "misconduct" and create a new basis for trust.

In 2018, during his first term in office, Trump unilaterally withdrew from the Vienna nuclear deal which was intended to restrict Iran's nuclear programme in return for the lifting of sanctions. Since then, Tehran has also stopped adhering to the terms of the agreement.

In a letter delivered to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in March, Trump said Tehran must either negotiate a new nuclear deal or face a military solution.

Iran is facing the worst economic crisis in its history as a result of international sanctions. According to observers, only direct negotiations between the oil-rich state and the Trump administration could lead to a lifting of the sanctions.

Tehran is also facing political troubles, with its self-proclaimed "axis of resistance" against its arch-enemy Israel - consisting of the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, the Lebanese Hezbollah militia and the Houthi rebels in Yemen - significantly weakened.

Photo: EPA