Iran would accept Trump's offer to meet soon, New York Times reports

WASHINGTON: Iran would accept US President Donald Trump’s offer to meet soon, the New York Times reported on Wednesday, citing a senior Iranian official.

The newspaper, citing the official, added that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi would accept such a meeting to discuss a cease-fire with Israel.

Trump, who has indicated he wants talks to focus on the Iranian nuclear program, said on Monday that he might send U.S. Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff or Vice President JD Vance to meet Iranian officials.

Earlier, President Donald Trump said he was considering whether the United States will join Israeli strikes on Iran and said that Tehran had reached out to seek negotiations on ending the conflict.

Speaking as he watched installation of a new flagpole at the White House, Trump added that his patience “had already run out” with Iran and repeated his call for the Islamic republic’s “unconditional surrender.”

Click here for all updates about Iran-Israel war

“I may do it, I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I’m going to do,” Trump told reporters on the South Lawn when asked if he had decided whether to launch US air strikes.

“I can tell you this, that Iran’s got a lot of trouble, and they want to negotiate.”

Trump said Iran had even suggested sending officials to the White House for talks on Tehran’s nuclear program in a bid to end Israel’s air assault, but added that it was “very late.”

“I said it’s very late to be talking. We may meet. There’s a big difference between now and a week ago, right? Big difference,” Trump added.