US President Donald Trump on Friday (March 28) warned Iran, saying that "bad things" would happen to the nation if it fails to reach a nuclear deal. 

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This comes a day after Iran responded to a letter from the US president, calling for talks.

"My big preference... is we work it out with Iran. But if we don't work it out, bad, bad things are gonna happen to Iran," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

Also read: Iran's Khamenei says US strikes on Yemen 'a crime that must be stopped'

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Last week, Trump sent Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei a letter, proposing negotiations on a new nuclear deal, with a two-month ultimatum, to reach an agreement. 

The communication contained “more of a threatening posture,” but apparently also offered “some opportunities” for Iran, the country’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Thursday, saying a response will come “in the coming days.”

Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, delivered the letter to the president of the United Arab Emirates. Following this, a UAE official passed the letter to the Iranians. 

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Also read: ‘Iran will retaliate’: Khamenei warns Trump against making ‘unwise’ threats, says ‘will inflict a blow’

Moreover, last week, Khamenei said that the deadly US strikes on the Houthi rebels in Yemen were a "crime that must be stopped".

Prior to that week,  the Tehran-backed militant group threatened to renew attacks on Israeli shipping in retaliation to aid blockade in the besieged Palestinian enclave by Israel. This triggered the first US strikes on Yemen since President Donald Trump took office in the month of January.

Also read: ‘They aim at domination’: Khamenei condemns ‘bullying’ after Trump’s military action threat against Iran

The US said that several top Houthi officials were killed in its strikes on Yemen, whereas the Houthi-run health ministry said the strikes claimed the lives of 53 people and injured approximately 100.

Moreover, the US president also threatened to "annihilate" Houthis and warned Iran against continuing with its aid to the group amid an ongoing US military campaign against them.  

Also read: 'Final strokes': Trump hints at 'final moments' with Iran after his letter to Khamenei 'gets lost in mail'

(With inputs from agencies)