The Albany Gazette - Trump announces direct nuclear talks with Iran

Speaking in the Oval Office at the White House, Trump said he was hopeful of reaching a deal with Tehran, but warned that Iran would be in "great danger" if the talks were not successful.

Netanyahu meanwhile said that the United States and Israel were working on another deal to free hostages from war-torn Gaza, where a ceasefire between Israel and Iran's ally Hamas has collapsed.

"We're dealing with the Iranians, we have a very big meeting on Saturday and we're dealing with them directly," Trump told reporters after a meeting that was meant to focus on Israel's bid to avoid US tariffs.

Trump did not say where the talks would take place, but insisted they would not involve surrogates and would be at "almost the highest level."

Trump's stunning announcement came a day after Iran dismissed direct negotiations on a new deal to curb the Islamic Republic's nuclear program, calling the idea pointless.

The US president pulled out of the last deal in 2018, during his first presidency, and there has been widespread speculation that Israel, possibly with US help, might attack Iranian facilities if no new agreement is reached.

Trump issued a stern warning to Tehran however.

"I think if the talks aren't successful with Iran, I think Iran's going to be in great danger, and I hate to say it, great danger, because they can't have a nuclear weapon," he said.

The revelation came as Netanyahu became the first foreign leader to personally plead for a reprieve from stinging US tariffs that have shaken the world.

The Israeli premier pledged that he would "eliminate" the trade deficit between the two countries and also knock down trade "barriers."

His country moved to lift its last remaining tariffs on US imports ahead of the meeting.

Netanyahu said he felt Israel could serve "as a model for many countries" when it came to negotiating on tariffs.

- Gaza talks -

Netanyahu and Trump also discussed Gaza, where a short-lived, US-brokered truce between Israel and Hamas has collapsed.

Netanyahu said that new negotiations were in the works aimed at freeing more hostages taken by Hamas during its October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, which ignited the war.

"We're working now on another deal that we hope will succeed, and we're committed to getting all the hostages out," Netanyahu said in the Oval Office.

Trump also doubled down on his plan for the US to "control" the Gaza Strip -- which he described as a "great piece of real estate." He initially announced that plan when Netanyahu last visited him in February.

Earlier, Trump greeted Netanyahu outside the West Wing and pumped his fist, before the two leaders -- both wearing dark suits, red ties and white shirts -- went inside for a meeting in the Oval Office.

A planned press conference between the two leaders was canceled at short notice without explanation, in an unusual move -- but they spoke to a smaller group of pool reporters at length in the Oval Office.

The Israeli premier's visit is his second to Trump since the US president returned to power, and comes at short notice -- just days after Trump slapped a 17 percent tariff on Israel in his "Liberation Day" announcement last week.

Trump refused to exempt the top beneficiary of US military aid from his global tariff salvo as he said Washington had a significant trade deficit with Israel.

Netanyahu met with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on Sunday night soon after his arrival, according to his office.

The Israeli premier also met Trump's special Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff on Monday.

(P.Davis--TAG)