Iran president’s adviser says Trump needs to rejoin nuclear deal

DONALD TRUMP needs to rejoin the international nuclear deal he pulled out of earlier this year if he wants to hold talks with Iran’s leader, an adviser to President Hassan Rouhani has said.

The US president said on Monday that he would meet Mr Rouhani without preconditions if the Iranian leader was willing.

Iranian leadership has previously ruled out one-on-one talks with Mr Trump after his decision to pull the United States out of the deal under which Iran was given relief from sanctions in return for curbs on its nuclear programme.

Iran’s semi-official ISNA news agency quoted political adviser Hamid Aboutalebi as saying that for talks to happen, the US needs to rejoin the deal. Mr Aboutalebi said: “Those who believe in dialogue as a method of resolving disputes in civilised societies should be committed to the means.”

Speaking during a joint news conference with Italy’s premier Giuseppe Conte, Mr Trump said he would meet with the Iranians “anytime they want to”.

He said: “I’ll meet with anybody. There’s nothing wrong with meeting.” The United States has also vowed to boost sanctions until Iran changes its regional policies, including its support for regional militant groups.

Rouhani recently warned the US that “war with Iran is the mother of all wars”, prompting an all-caps retort from Mr Trump.

He wrote on Twitter: “To Iranian President Rouhani. NEVER, EVER THREATEN THE UNITED STATES AGAIN OR YOU WILL SUFFER CONSEQUENCES THE LIKES OF WHICH FEW THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE EVER SUFFERED BEFORE. WE ARE NO LONGER A COUNTRY THAT WILL STAND FOR YOUR DEMENTED WORDS OF VIOLENCE & DEATH.”

He ended the message with a warning: “BE CAUTIOUS!”

Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif fired back with his own message that began, “COLOUR US UNIMPRESSED.”

Mr Trump tempered his threatening rhetoric two days later when he said his administration stands ready for Iran to come back to the negotiating table.