Trump says “bad things” will likely happen if no Iran deal reached

President Donald Trump warned on Monday that "bad things" will happen if Iran fails to reach a deal with the United States, after Tehran called for the start of nuclear talks with Washington.

"Right now we're talking to them, we're talking to Iran, and if we can work something out that'd be great. And if we can't, probably bad things would happen," Trump told reporters in the White House.

With tensions flaring, Trump declined to discuss any possible military action against Iran, but reiterated that the "tremendous force" including an aircraft carrier he has dispatched to the Middle East was arriving in the region soon.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has ordered the start of nuclear talks with the United States, local media said.

Following the Iranian authorities' deadly response to anti-government protests that peaked last month, the US president has threatened military action and ordered the dispatch of an aircraft carrier group to the Middle East.

Tehran has insisted it wants diplomacy, while vowing an unbridled response to any aggression.

"President Pezeshkian has ordered the opening of talks with the United States" on Iran's nuclear programme, the Fars news agency reported on Monday, citing an unnamed government source.

The report was also carried by the government newspaper Iran and the reformist daily Shargh.

A meeting is likely to take place in Turkey on Friday, following interventions by Egypt, Qatar, Turkey and Oman, an Arab official told AFP on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter.

US news site Axios cited two unnamed sources as saying Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was expected to meet with US envoy Steve Witkoff in Istanbul to discuss a possible deal on the nuclear issue.

Trump had warned "time is running out" for Iran to reach a deal on its nuclear programme, which the West believes is aimed at making an atomic bomb, a claim Tehran has repeatedly denied.

In an interview with CNN on Sunday, Araghchi said: "President Trump said no nuclear weapons, and we fully agree. We fully agree with that. That could be a very good deal," adding that, "in return, we expect sanctions lifting".

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said earlier on Monday that Tehran was working on a method and framework for negotiations that would be ready in the coming days, with messages between the two sides relayed through regional players.