Iranian President, Masoud Pezeshkian has ordered the start of nuclear talks with the United States, local media reported, as US President Donald Trump warned that “bad things” would happen if no agreement is reached with the Islamic republic.
The development comes after Iranian authorities’ deadly response to anti-government protests that peaked last month. In response, the United States has threatened military action and ordered the deployment of an aircraft carrier group to the Middle East.
Trump has maintained that he is hopeful Washington will “work something out” with Iran, but reiterated on Monday that “bad things would happen” if negotiations fail.
Tehran has insisted it prefers diplomacy, while warning of a forceful response to any aggression.
“President Pezeshkian has ordered the opening of talks with the United States” on Iran’s nuclear programme, the Fars news agency reported, citing an unnamed government source. The report was also carried by the government newspaper Iran and the reformist daily Shargh.
A meeting is expected to take place in Turkey on Friday, following diplomatic interventions by Egypt, Qatar, Turkey and Oman, according to an Arab official who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue.
US news outlet Axios, citing two unnamed sources, reported that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to meet US envoy Steve Witkoff in Istanbul to discuss a possible nuclear deal
Trump has warned that “time is running out” for Iran to reach an agreement on its nuclear programme, which Western powers believe is aimed at developing an atomic bomb, a claim Tehran has repeatedly denied.
In an interview with CNN on Sunday, Araghchi said Iran agreed with Trump’s position on nuclear weapons. “President Trump said no nuclear weapons, and we fully agree. That could be a very good deal,” he said, adding that Iran expects sanctions to be lifted in return.
Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Tehran was working on a method and framework for negotiations that would be ready in the coming days, with messages between the two sides being relayed through regional intermediaries
Turkey has been leading diplomatic efforts to ease tensions, with Araghchi visiting Istanbul last week and holding talks with regional counterparts, including officials in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
Jordan’s foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, told Araghchi that the kingdom would not allow its territory to become a battleground in any regional conflict or a launching point for military action against Iran.
Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, have warned that any US attack would trigger a regional war.
In Tehran, pensioner Ali Hamidi said he was not afraid of war but questioned Washington’s role in global affairs. He added, however, that Iranian officials also bear responsibility for the country’s economic hardships, urging them to take concrete action rather than rely on rhetoric.
The protests began in late December due to economic pressures and escalated rapidly in early January. Authorities have described them as riots fueled by foreign enemies, particularly the United States and Israel, with Khamenei likening the unrest to an attempted coup.
Iranian authorities have acknowledged thousands of deaths during the protests and recently released the names of most of those they say were killed. Officials claim many of the victims were security personnel or bystanders, blaming the violence on what they describe as terrorist acts.
Human rights groups dispute these figures, with one US-based organisation reporting a much higher death toll, mostly protesters allegedly killed by security forces.
Some Iranians have fled the country amid the unrest. Selina, a 25-year-old who declined to give her full name, said she travelled to Iraqi Kurdistan to escape what she described as constant fear. She said residents avoid going out in the evenings due to the heavy presence of soldiers.
The crackdown has strained Iran’s relations with Europe. The European Union has designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organisation, prompting Iranian lawmakers to apply the same label to European armies. The EU and Britain have also imposed fresh sanctions on Iranian officials over what they describe as the brutal handling of the protests
Baqaei said the foreign ministry has summoned EU ambassadors in Tehran over the designation and warned that further responses would follow
Iranian state television also reported the arrest of four foreigners in Tehran for alleged involvement in the unrest, without disclosing their nationalities. Rights groups estimate that at least 40,000 people have been detained since the protests began.