Iran orders nuclear talks with US as Trump pushes for deal

Dubai: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has ordered the start of nuclear talks with the United States, Iranian media reported on Monday, as tensions remain high following a deadly crackdown on nationwide protests and mounting international pressure.

The move came after US President Donald Trump said he was hopeful of reaching a deal to prevent military action against Iran, even as Washington has reinforced its military presence in the Middle East.

Iran’s Fars news agency cited an unnamed government source as saying Pezeshkian had directed officials to open negotiations with the US over Tehran’s nuclear programme, though no date was announced.

The report was also carried by government and reformist newspapers.

Iran’s foreign ministry said earlier that it was finalising a framework for negotiations, with messages between the two sides being relayed through regional intermediaries.

Key developments in Iran-US tensions

• Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian ordered the opening of nuclear talks with the United States, Iranian media reported

• US President Donald Trump said he remains hopeful of a deal but warned “time is running out”

• Iran’s foreign ministry said a framework for negotiations is being finalised through regional intermediaries

• Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held talks with counterparts in Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia to push diplomacy

• The European Union designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organisation over its role in crushing protests

• Iran summoned all EU ambassadors in Tehran and warned of reciprocal measures

• Tehran’s parliament declared EU militaries “terrorist groups” in response

• Nationwide protests in January left thousands dead and tens of thousands detained, according to officials and rights groups

• Iran acknowledged over 3,000 deaths, while rights monitors estimate more than 6,800 protesters were killed

• Revolutionary Guard drills continued in the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil route, prompting US warnings

• Turkey is seeking to organise talks between US envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian officials in Ankara

• Iranian authorities charged state TV officials after a programme mocked protest victims

• Oscar-nominated screenwriter Mehdi Mahmoudian was arrested for condemning the crackdown, drawing international criticism

• “Several points have been addressed and we are examining and completing the details of each stage in the diplomatic process,” spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said.

Trump has warned that “time is running out” for Iran to reach a nuclear agreement, accusing Tehran of pursuing atomic weapons — a claim Iran denies.

Baqaei said Iran would not accept ultimatums, adding that Tehran seeks diplomacy but will respond forcefully to any aggression.

Regional countries have stepped up mediation efforts, fearing any US military strike could plunge the Middle East into wider conflict.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has held talks with counterparts in Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia in recent days.

“President Trump said no nuclear weapons — and we fully agree,” Araghchi told CNN. “That could be a very good deal. In return, we expect sanctions lifting.”

Meanwhile, Iran summoned all European Union ambassadors in Tehran to protest the bloc’s decision to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation over its role in suppressing protests.

The EU move followed weeks of unrest in January that left thousands dead and tens of thousands detained.

Iranian officials warned of reciprocal action, while parliament declared EU militaries to be terrorist groups.

'Coup attempt'

The protests, sparked by economic hardship, escalated into the largest demonstrations in years. Authorities acknowledged over 3,000 deaths, mostly security personnel and bystanders, while rights groups estimate more than 6,800 protesters were killed.

Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has described the unrest as a “coup attempt” backed by foreign enemies.

As diplomatic efforts continue, Turkey has reportedly sought to organise talks between US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian officials in Ankara.

At the same time, Iran confirmed that military drills by the Revolutionary Guard in the Strait of Hormuz — a vital global oil shipping route — were ongoing, prompting warnings from the US military against any disruption to commercial traffic.

In another sign of mounting pressure inside Iran, authorities charged state television executives after a programme mocked those killed in the protests.

Separately, an Oscar-nominated Iranian screenwriter Mehdi Mahmoudian was arrested in Tehran following his public condemnation of the government’s violent crackdown, sparking outrage among filmmakers and rights activists.

Prominent director Jafar Panahi denounced the arrest, calling Mahmoudian a “prisoner of conscience” and a moral voice within Iran’s prison system.

Despite growing unrest at home and pressure abroad, Tehran insists it remains open to diplomacy — while warning that any military strike would ignite a regional war.