Washington, Feb. 7 (SANA) U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that talks with Iran are progressing “well,” noting that Tehran appears willing to reach an agreement and that a new round of meetings is expected in the coming days. He also warned of the consequences if negotiations fail.
Trump’s remarks came as Washington continues to reinforce its military presence in the region and impose new sanctions on Iran amid growing protests inside the country.
According to AFP, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One during its trip to Mar-a-Lago in Florida that Washington is “not under any time pressure” regarding the negotiations. He added that the U.S. has sufficient time to reach an agreement and reiterated that Iran will not be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon.
Trump said a new round of meetings would be held early next week and announced that a large U.S. naval fleet was heading toward the Middle East.
Iranian and U.S. delegations met Friday in the Omani capital, Muscat, in the first round of dialogue between the two side. Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi described the talks as “very serious” and said they helped clarify positions and identify possible paths forward.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the atmosphere of the indirect talks was “good,” emphasizing that discussions are limited to the nuclear issue.
In parallel with the talks, the White House announced that Trump signed an executive order imposing new sanctions on Iran, including additional tariffs on any country importing Iranian goods or services, directly or indirectly. The sanctions take effect Saturday.
The protests in Iran began on December 28 with a strike by Tehran’s Grand Bazaar merchants over currency collapse and deteriorating economic conditions, later expanding into broader demands for freedom and social justice.
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