The United States and Iran begin high-stakes talks on Tehran's nuclear programme on Saturday, with President Donald Trump threatening military action should they fail to produce a new deal.

They will be the highest-level discussions between the foes since an international agreement on Iran's nuclear programme crumbled with Trump pulling out in 2018 during his first term in office.

Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi are set to lead the discussions behind closed doors in Muscat, the capital of Iran's neighbour Oman.

"I want Iran to be a wonderful, great, happy country. But they can't have a nuclear weapon," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, hours before the talks were due to begin.

Meanwhile Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's adviser Ali Shamkhani said Tehran was "seeking a real and fair agreement", adding that "important and implementable proposals are ready".

If Washington showed goodwill, the path forward would be "smooth", he said on social media platform X.

The talks format has not been........

© International Business Times