WASHINGTON

Iran and the US will meet in Oman on Saturday for indirect high-level talks, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tuesday.

"It is as much an opportunity as it is a test. The ball is in America's court," Araghchi said on X.

His remarks came after US President Donald Trump said Monday that the US is engaged in "very high-level" talks with Iran over Tehran's nuclear program, adding the negotiations are "in Iran's best interests."

Trump has repeatedly threatened to pursue military action against Iran if a deal can’t be reached and repeated the threats again Monday, saying Tehran "is going to be in great danger" if the talks fail.

Iran had previously ruled out direct negotiations with Washington but held the door open to indirect discussions via an intermediary. That appears to have changed in the interim, with Trump saying the two nations have agreed to engage directly with a first round of senior-level talks to take place this weekend.

"We're having direct talks with Iran, and they've started. It'll go on Saturday. We have a very big meeting, and we'll see what can happen. And I think everybody agrees that doing a deal would be preferable to doing the obvious. And the obvious is not something that I want to be involved with," he told reporters as he hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House.

"Now we're dealing with them directly. And maybe a deal is going to be made, that'd be great. It'll be really great for Iran," he added.