Iran "can't have a nuclear weapon," US President Donald Trump has said ahead of high-stakes weekend talks over the state's nuclear programme.
"I want Iran to be a wonderful, great, happy country. But they can't have a nuclear weapon," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, hours before his envoy Steve Witkoff is to meet Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Oman.
Witkoff earlier on Friday said it is the White House's "red line" to prevent nuclear weaponisation of Iran.
"I think our position begins with dismantlement of your programme. That is our position today," Witkoff, who will lead the talks with Iran on Saturday in Muscat for the US, told The Wall Street Journal.
"That doesn’t mean, by the way, that at the margin we’re not going to find other ways to find compromise between the two countries," he said.
His remarks came after the White House said Trump's "ultimate goal" is to ensure that Iran can "never" obtain a nuclear weapon.
"Where our red line will be, there can’t be weaponisation of your nuclear capability," Witkoff said.
According to the report, the envoy said he would take the issue to Trump to determine how to proceed, if Tehran refuses to eliminate its nuclear programme.
Longtime adversaries Iran and the United States are set to hold talks on Saturday in Muscat, aimed at reaching a potential nuclear deal.
Iran to seek 'real and fair' deal
Iran said on Friday it seeks a "real and fair" agreement.
The longtime adversaries are set to meet weeks after a letter to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei by Trump, who sought diplomacy but warned of possible military action if Iran refuses.
"Far from putting up a show and merely talking in front of the cameras, Tehran is seeking a real and fair agreement, important and implementable proposals are ready," Khamenei adviser Ali Shamkhani posted on X.
He confirmed that Foreign Minister Araghchi was heading to Oman "with full authority for indirect negotiations with America", adding that if Washington showed goodwill, the path forward would be "smooth".
Iran and world powers signed a nuclear agreement in 2015 for curbs on Tehran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.
However, Trump withdrew from the deal in 2018.
Trump says Iran must not be allowed to have a nuclear weapon and has warned of military action if the talks do not succeed.
Iran, meanwhile, argues its nuclear programme is for civilian energy purposes only.
