Trump seeks nuclear deal with Iran, sends letter to leadership

(Reuters): US President Donald Trump said he wants to negotiate a nuclear deal with Iran and sent a letter to its leadership on Thursday saying he hoped the Islamic Republic, arch foe of longtime US ally Israel, would agree to talk.

"I said I hope you're going to negotiate, because it's going to be a lot better for Iran," Trump said in the 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."

There was no immediate response from the foreign ministry in Iran, where it is currently the weekend, to a request for comment on Trump's remarks.

The letter appeared to have been addressed to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The White House did not immediately respond to a request about that.

"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."

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 building nuclear weapons, in 2018, a year into his first White House term.

He said in February he would like to make a deal with Iran that prevents that country from developing a nuclear weapon.

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 programme.

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