US, Iran in direct talks over nuclear programme, says Trump

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump said on Monday that the US and Iran are participating in direct talks over the Middle Eastern country’s nuclear programme.

“We’re having direct talks with Iran, and they’ve started. It’ll go on Saturday. We have a very big meeting, and we’ll see what can happen. And I think everybody agrees that doing a deal would be preferable,” Trump told reporters.

The Kremlin said on Monday that Russia was ready to do all it could to help resolve tensions between the United States and Iran around Tehran’s nuclear programme, as Washington demands Tehran do a nuclear deal with it or be bombed.

Moscow has repeatedly offered to mediate between the two sides after warnings of military action against Iran by US President Donald Trump have rattled nerves across the region.

“We are in constant consultations with our Iranian partners, including on the topic of the nuclear deal,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

“This process will continue, including in the near future. And, of course, Russia is ready to make every effort, to do everything possible to contribute to this problem’s resolution by political and diplomatic means.”

During his first term, Trump withdrew the US from a 2015 deal between Iran and world powers that placed strict limits on Tehran’s disputed nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. Iran says it needs nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and denies it is seeking to acquire nuclear weapons.