US to negotiate with Iranians 'almost at the highest level', Trump says

The United States has begun direct talks with Iran over its nuclear program and a meeting is set for Saturday, US President Donald Trump said on Monday.

"We're having direct talks with Iran, and they've started. It'll go on Saturday. We have a very big meeting, and we'll see what can happen," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

"I think everybody agrees that doing a deal would be preferable to doing the obvious. And the obvious is not something that I want to be involved with, or, frankly, that Israel wants to be involved with, if they can avoid it," Trump added, sitting alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"Hopefully those talks will be successful, and I think would be in Iran's best interests, if they are successful."

Israel believes that if the Islamic Republic is allowed to retain even a small part of its nuclear program, the sources added, it could rapidly resume enrichment once Trump’s presidency ends or anytime it deems conditions favorable.

The diplomats told Iran International that Israel assesses that Tehran’s sole aim in pursuing talks with the United States is to preserve its enrichment program.

The Israeli prime minister is meeting the US president at the White House, with Iran's nuclear issue among the key focuses of their negotiations, according to Netanyahu's office.

Netanyahu will not advise American officials against engaging in negotiations with Iran, the diplomats told Iran International, but he will urge them to make any talks conditional on the enrichment program's total end.

Earlier in the day, Axios reported that Netanyahu believes the chances of a nuclear deal between Tehran and Washington are extremely low but will present to Trump today how "a good deal should look like".

"Netanyahu wants the Libya model. Full dismantling of Iran's nuclear program", the report said, citing an Israeli official referring to a 2003 decision by Libya's leader Muammar Qadaffi to surrender weapons of mass destruction.

The veteran autocrat was deposed and killed in a Western-backed uprising in 2011.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that Washington can only dream of an agreement with Iran similar to the 2003 deal with Libya.

His comments came after Republican Senator Tom Cotton said the deal President Trump wants with Iran would be one that neutralizes Tehran's threat completely.

"He prefers a deal like Libya cut with the United States in 2003," Cotton said in an interview posted on X.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will seek during his visit to Washington to persuade the Trump administration to push for the complete dismantling of Iran’s uranium enrichment program, diplomatic sources in the Middle East told Iran International.

Israel believes that if the Islamic Republic is allowed to retain even a small part of its nuclear program, the sources added, it could rapidly resume enrichment once Trump’s presidency ends or anytime it deems conditions favorable.

The diplomats told Iran International that Israel assesses that Tehran’s sole aim in pursuing talks with the United States is to preserve its enrichment program.

Netanyahu will not advise American officials against engaging in negotiations with Iran, the diplomats added, but he will urge them to make any talks conditional on the enrichment program's total end.

Influential conservative commentator Tucker Carlson said on Monday that the United States could not afford a war with Iran which it would lose.

"Whatever you think of tariffs, it’s clear that now is the worst possible time for the United States to participate in a military strike on Iran. We can’t afford it. Thousands of Americans would die," the former Fox News host wrote on X.

"We’d lose the war that follows. Nothing would be more destructive to our country. And yet we’re closer than ever, thanks to unrelenting pressure from neocons. This is suicidal. Anyone advocating for conflict with Iran is not an ally of the United States, but an enemy."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu believes the chances of a nuclear deal between Tehran and Washington are extremely low but will present to Donald Trump today how "a good deal should look like", Axios reporter Barak Ravid reported citing an Israeli official.

"Netanyahu wants the Libya model. Full dismantling of Iran's nuclear program", the official said.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that Washington can only dream of an agreement with Iran similar to the 2003 deal with Libya.

His comments came after Republican Senator Tom Cotton said the deal President Trump wants with Iran would be one that neutralizes Tehran's threat completely.

"He prefers a deal like Libya cut with the United States in 2003," Cotton said in an interview posted on X, alluding to Qaddafi's giving up of all WMDs.