The US is holding "direct talks" with Iran, President Trump revealed during an Oval Office meeting Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. " Were having direct talks with Iran, and they've started," Trump said. He said there would be a "very big meeting" Saturday and warned that Tehran would be in "great danger" if talks collapsed, the Washington Post reports. "I think everybody agrees that doing a deal would be preferable to doing the obvious," he said. "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." Netanyahu said the US and Israel are "united in the goal that Iran does not ever get nuclear weapons."
Trump said the talks would happen "at almost the highest level." He did not disclose the venue, though Iranian sources tell the New York Times the talks will take place in Oman. The US hasn't held direct talks with Iran since 2015 and the Times' sources say the Saturday talks will be indirect, with Omani diplomats carrying messages to US and Iranian negotiators in separate rooms.
- Hostages. Trump said he is trying very hard to get the hostages out" of Gaza and the US is "looking at another ceasefire, we'll see what happens," the BBC reports. He once again spoke of moving the Palestinians "around to different countries," calling Gaza an "incredible piece of important real estate" that would be better off with the US "controlling and owning" it. Netanyahu said Israel and the US are working together on Trump's vision for Gaza.
- Tariffs. Trump delivered more mixed messages on tariffs when asked whether he would lower them if other countries dropped tariffs on American goods, the Post reports. "Both can be true. There can be permanent tariffs, and there can also be negotiations," he said. He said he wasn't considering pausing tariffs before they take effect Wednesday. The BBC reports that Trump "ducked the question" when asked if he would lower the 17% tariff on imports from Israel. "We give Israel billions of dollars a year," he said.
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