Trump Says He is Willing to Meet Iranian Leadership Anytime, Without Pre-condition

Washington, Jul 30 (PTI) US President Donald Trump today said he is willing to meet the Iranian leadership without any "pre-condition", anytime they want to.

Tension between Washington and Tehran increased a week ago, after Iranian President Hassan Rouhani asked the US not to "play with the lion's tail". Following which, Trump replied on twitter, saying never, ever threaten the US again or you will suffer consequences which few throughout history have ever suffered before.

"I think it's an appropriate thing to do," Trump told reporters at a White House joint news conference with the visiting Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, while responding to a question if he was willing to meet the Iranian counterpart, now that he has met the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Trump said he has "no pre-condition" for holding talks with the Iranian leadership.

"Any time they want" to meet, he said, he is ready.

"I will certainly meet with Iran(ian leadership), if they want to," the US President said.

Early this year, Trump withdrew from the Iranian nuclear deal and has asked other countries to stop importing oil from Iran by November 4 or face the prospects of the US sanctions.

India is among a major buyer of Iranian oil. Any talks between Iran and the US would have a direct impact on India.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)