Trump says he sent letter to Iran leader to negotiate nuclear deal

By Doina Chiacu

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump said he wants to negotiate a nuclear deal with Iran and sent a letter to its leadership this week suggesting talks with the Islamic Republic, which the West fears is rapidly nearing the capability to make atomic weapons.

"I said I hope you're going to negotiate, because it's going to be a lot better for Iran," Trump said in an interview with Fox Business Network broadcast on Friday.

"I think they want to get that letter. The other alternative is we have to do something, because you can't let another nuclear weapon."

Iran has not yet received the letter, Iran's mission to the United Nations in New York said on Friday. There was no immediate response from the foreign ministry in Iran, where it is the weekend, to a request for comment on Trump's remarks.

Iran's Nour News, affiliated with the country's top security body, dismissed Trump's letter as a "repetitive show" by Washington.

Asked whether he had sent the letter to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's fiercely anti-Western Supreme Leader, Trump said, "Yes."

"There are two ways Iran can be handled: militarily, or you make a deal," Trump said. "I would prefer to make a deal, because I'm not looking to hurt Iran. They're great people."

In the interview, conducted on Thursday, Trump said he sent the letter "yesterday", indicating Wednesday.

Western officials fear a nuclear-armed Iran could threaten Israel, Gulf Arab oil producers, and spark a regional arms race.

Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons.

RUSSIAN OFFER TO MEDIATE

Trump has upended U.S. foreign policy after taking office in January, adopting a more conciliatory stance towards Russia that has left Western allies wary as he tries to broker an end to Moscow's three-year-old war in Ukraine.

Trump pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal, a multinational agreement to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, in 2018, a year into his first White House term.

Last month, Trump restored his "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran that includes efforts to drive its oil exports down to zero. However, he also said he would like to make a deal with Tehran.

It is unclear how Trump's overture to Iran would be received by U.S. ally Israel, an arch foe of Tehran. Iran and Israel mounted military strikes on each other last April and October.

The Israeli prime minister's office did not immediately return a request for comment on Trump's letter to Iran.

Russia has offered to mediate between the United States and Iran, a source briefed on discussions told Reuters on Tuesday, as the Kremlin vowed to do everything possible to facilitate a peaceful solution to tensions over Tehran's nuclear program.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov discussed international efforts to resolve the situation around Iran's nuclear program with Iranian ambassador Kazem Jalali, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

Meanwhile, senior Russian missile specialists have visited Iran over the past year as the Islamic Republic has deepened its defense cooperation with Moscow, a Reuters review of travel records and employment data indicates.

SANCTIONS AND DIPLOMACY

After Trump quit the nuclear agreement in 2018, Iran began moving away from its nuclear-related commitments under the 2015 deal between Iran and key world powers, which lifted sanctions on Iran in return for restrictions on its nuclear program.

After taking office in January, Trump also directed his U.N. ambassador to work with allies to "complete the snapback of international sanctions and restrictions on Iran."

Britain, France and Germany told the United Nations Security Council in December that they are ready - if necessary - to trigger the restoration of all the international sanctions to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

It was not the first time a U.S. president has communicated with Iranian leaders. Under Iranian law, the supreme leader, not the president, has the last say on key state matters like Iran's foreign policy and the nuclear program.

When U.S. President Barack Obama took office in 2009, he offered Khamenei direct engagement - provided Iran was serious about ending concerns over its nuclear program. Obama twice wrote directly to Khamenei, in 2009 and again in 2012.

Iranian officials in 2014 acknowledged that Tehran had replied to previous letters from Obama, though it was not clear who specifically had responded.

Iran confirmed in 2013 that President Hassan Rouhani had exchanged letters with Obama, confirming a rare contact between leaders of the two nations.

The United States and Iran cut diplomatic relations in 1980, after students and Islamic militants stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and took American diplomats hostage.

The full Trump interview will air over the weekend on Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures."

(Reporting by Doina Chiacu in Washington, Michelle Nichols at United Nations, Parisa Hafezi in Dubai, James Mackenzie in Jerusalem, reporting by Michelle Nichols at the United Nations; editing by Christina Fincher, William Maclean)