Trump's Letter Of 'Nuclear Negotiation' Has Been Accepted By Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei

JAKARTA - A letter from US President Donald Trump to Iranian clerics has been submitted by Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the president of the United Arab Emirates.

Trump last week said he sent a letter to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei proposing talks about the nuclear deal.

Trump warned "there are two ways to deal with Iran: militarily, or you make a deal" that prevents Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

Khamenei, who holds the final say in terms of Iran's state affairs, immediately responds to Tehran will not be intimidated to negotiate with "excessive demands" and threats.

On Tuesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran would not negotiate with threats that haunt him, and angrily told Trump to "do whatever you want", Iranian state media reported.

Gargash met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi on Wednesday, Iranian state media said. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei did not provide details about the meeting.

The UAE, one of Washington's main security partners in the Middle East and host to US forces, also maintains warm relations with Tehran.

Despite past tensions, business and trade relations between the two countries remain strong, with Dubai becoming a major commercial hub for Iran for more than a century.

While leaving the door open to the nuclear pact with Tehran, Trump has returned the "maximum pressure" campaign he implemented during his first term as president to isolate Iran from the global economy and push its oil exports to zero.

In 2018, Trump left Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers and reimposed sanctions that have crippled his economy.

Tehran reacted a year later by violating nuclear restrictions on the deal.