The US and Iran will hold "direct talks" on a possible nuclear deal on Saturday, US President Donald Trump said, but Iran's foreign minister also confirmed the talks would be "indirect" but could be "as much an opportunity as a test."
The US president said on Monday that discussions between Washington and Tehran would be at a "very high level" and warned that it would be a "very bad day for Iran" if a deal was not reached.
Last month, Trump raised the prospect of military action against Iran after its supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei publicly rejected the offer of direct talks.
Trump revealed the talks after a meeting at the White House with Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu, who has also previously raised the possibility of attacking Iran to stop it from obtaining nuclear weapons.
Speaking in the Oval Office, Trump said: "We have a very big meeting on Saturday [with Iran] and we're dealing with them directly... And maybe a deal will be made, that would be great."
Trump later said Iran would be in "great danger" if the talks were not successful, adding: "Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon and if the talks are not successful, I actually think it will be a very bad day for Iran."
The president did not provide further details about the talks, including their progress or which officials are involved.
Iran's Foreign Minister confirmed that Washington and Tehran will meet in Oman on April 12.
Abbas Araqchi wrote on X: "It is as much an opportunity as it is a test. The ball is in America's court."
In March, Trump sent a letter to Iran's leader through an intermediary from the United Arab Emirates, indicating his willingness to negotiate.
This offer was rejected by Iran, although its leadership indicated a willingness to discuss a possible agreement with the US through a third party.
Limiting Iran's ability to build nuclear weapons has been a key foreign policy objective for the US and its allies for decades.
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