ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Wednesday that they are set to receive from “an Arab country” a message from United States President Donal Trump “soon".

 

Speaking to reporters after a cabinet meeting, Araghchi said that the letter has not reached them yet, revealing that “an envoy from an Arab country is set to deliver it soon in Tehran.”

 

Trump on Friday in an interview with Fox Business Network said that he has sent a letter to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, asking him to engage in nuclear negotiations. Tehran had denied receiving such a missive yet.

 

“There are two ways Iran can be handled: militarily, or you make a deal. I would prefer to make a deal… I've written them a letter, saying I hope you're going to negotiate,” said Trump warning that if they “have to go in militarily it's going to be a terrible thing for them [Iran].” 

 

The Islamic Republic has rejected talks under the "maximum pressure" policy Trump reinstated after his return to the White House in January.

 

Araghchi’s remarks come amid reports of Iran confirming that it will hold talks around its nuclear program with China and Russia in Beijing to discuss “developments related to the nuclear issue and the lifting of sanctions,” according to a Wednesday statement by Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei.

 

The Iranian FM did not specify which Arab country will be delivering the letter. 

 

Khamenei had previously stated that he does not support negotiations with the Trump administration because he does not trust Washington, citing the US’s withdrawal from the nuclear deal in 2018. 

 

“You should not negotiate with such a government, it is unwise, it is not intelligent, it is not honorable to negotiate," said Khamenei in February, saying that the US “ruined, violated, and tore up” the 2015 nuclear deal. “No problem will be solved by negotiating with America.”