’I have no problem meeting them’: Trump offers face-to-face meeting with Iran leaders

April 21 - Wionews - US President Donald Trump said he was willing to meet with Iranian leaders if it meant a breakthrough could be reached in the Iran war peace talks.

His statement comes as the two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran draws closer to expiry and as Tehran claimed it would not send a delegation to the latest round of talks in Islamabad. Talking to the New York Post, the POTUS also brushed off Iran's threats to boycott the latest round of talks, and said, "I have no problem meeting them".

He insisted that the regime must come to the table for serious talks and noted "I would assume at this point nobody’s playing games".

"I have no problem meeting them," Trump told the New York Post. "If they want to meet, and we have some very capable people, but I have no problem meeting them."

The offer came with the US-Iran ceasefire set to expire Wednesday evening, and with the administration's negotiating team, Vice President JD Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner already heading to Pakistan. Sources told CNN the delegation is expected to arrive on Wednesday.

Trump was dismissive of Tehran's threat to boycott the talks. "We're supposed to have the talks," he said. "I would assume at this point nobody's playing games." He described a ceasefire extension as "highly unlikely," signalling that fighting would resume if no deal is reached in time.

At the centre of everything is a demand Trump described as non-negotiable: Iran must give up any pursuit of nuclear weapons, permanently. "Get rid of their nuclear weapons. That's all very simple," he said. "There will be no nuclear weapon." He declined to specify what consequences Tehran would face if talks collapse, saying only: "You can imagine. It wouldn't be pretty."

Iranian officials have accused the Trump administration of "excessive demands" and shifting positions during negotiations.