Khamenei says Iran-US talks going well but may lead nowhere

Iran鈥檚 supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday he was satisfied with talks with arch-foe the US but warned they could ultimately prove fruitless. (AFP)
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TEHRAN: Iran鈥檚 supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday he was satisfied with talks with arch-foe the US but warned they could ultimately prove fruitless.

Tehran and Washington are due to meet again in Muscat on Saturday, a week after top officials held the highest-level talks since the landmark 2015 nuclear accord collapsed.

US President Donald Trump, who pulled out of the deal during his first term, revived his 鈥渕aximum pressure鈥� sanctions campaign after returning to office in January.

In March, he sent a letter to Khamenei urging talks and warning of possible military action if Iran refused.

Saturday鈥檚 talks were 鈥渨ell carried out in the first steps,鈥� Khamenei said, quoted by state television. 鈥淥f course, we are very pessimistic about the other side, but we are optimistic about our own capabilities.鈥�

But he added that 鈥渢he negotiations may or may not yield results.鈥�

Despite having no diplomatic ties since Iran鈥檚 1979 Islamic Revolution, both sides described the talks as 鈥渃onstructive.鈥�

Iran insists discussions remain 鈥渋ndirect鈥� and mediated by Oman.

On Monday, Trump again threatened to strike Iran鈥檚 nuclear facilities if no deal was reached, calling Iranian authorities 鈥渞adicals鈥� who should not possess nuclear weapons.