US President Donald Trump said Friday that he has written to Iran's supreme leader pressing for new talks on its nuclear program, warning of possible military action if not.

Iran's foreign minister told AFP on Friday that his country would not negotiate so long as the United States applies "maximum pressure," but he was not responding directly to Trump's letter to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Trump's outreach marks a departure at least in tone from the hardline stance that marked his first term and could put him at odds with close ally Israel, which last year carried out bombing strikes inside Iran.

"Hopefully we can have a peace deal," Trump told reporters at the White House, saying "we're at the final moments" on the Iranian nuclear program.

"I'd rather see a peace deal than the other," he said of military action. "But the other will solve the problem."

Trump earlier revealed the letter in an interview on Fox Business in which he said he told Khamenei: "I hope you're going to negotiate because if we have to go in militarily it's going to be a terrible thing for them."

It was unclear........

© International Business Times