US to Have Direct, ‘High-Level’ Meeting With Iran

President Donald Trump says U.S. officials will engage in a direct, “very high-level” meeting with Iranian leaders on Saturday.  

“We’re dealing with them directly, and maybe a deal’s going to be made. That’d be great. It’ll be really great for Iran, I can tell you that,” Trump said while sitting next to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office after a meeting between the two world leaders.  

If the U.S. and Iran can’t come to an agreement on a nuclear deal, Trump said he thinks “Iran is going to be in great danger,” but did not go as far to say that the U.S. would take military action to destroy Iran’s nuclear sites.  

“You know, it’s not a complicated formula: Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” the president said.

The news of the talks was a surprise announcement as Trump took questions alongside Netanyahu after the leaders met to discuss Trump’s new tariffs and negotiations for a deal to release the remaining hostages still being held in Gaza by Hamas.  

Israel will eliminate its trade deficit with the United States, Netanyahu pledged, adding that the Jewish state will eliminate “trade barriers that have been put up unnecessarily, and I think that this will serve as a model for many countries who ought to do the same.”  

Netanyahu’s visit to Washington comes less than a week after what Trump called “liberation day,” in which the president announced a minimum 10% tariffs on all nations across the globe. One day before Trump officially announced the new tariffs, Netanyahu said Israel had “canceled all of the customs duties levied on products from the U.S., Israel’s largest trading partner.” 

Israel has charged a 33% tariff on goods coming into its country from the U.S. In turn, the U.S. announced a new 17% tariff on goods coming to the U.S. from Israel. 

Netanyahu called himself a “free-trade champion” and said he understands the position the U.S. is in and why Trump has imposed the tariffs.  

“We have been ripped off and taken advantage of by many countries over the years and can’t do it anymore,” Trump said after thanking Netanyahu for his comments.  

When a reporter asked whether Trump would consider pausing the new tariffs imposed on countries around the world, he said, “Well, we’re not looking at that.” 

Trump has made clear he is using the tariffs to bring American manufacturing back to the U.S. with the aim of revitalizing the U.S. economy and putting an end to trade policies that “take advantage” of the U.S.  

“No other president is going to do this,” Trump said of the tariffs.  

The Israeli prime minister is the first world leader to meet with Trump since the new tariffs went into effect. 

The two leaders also told reporters they are working to secure the release of the hostages that remain in Gaza following Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.  

“The hostages are in agony, and we want to get them all out,” Netanyahu said. There are 24 hostages still believed to be alive in Gaza. Hamas is also holding the bodies of an additional 35 hostages.   

“We are trying very hard to get the hostages out,” Trump told reporters. “We’re looking at another ceasefire. We’ll see what happens.”  

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