Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian announced on Sunday (March 30) that Tehran has refused to hold direct talks with the United States over its nuclear programme. This marks the country's first public response to a letter sent by US President Donald Trump to Iran’s Supreme Leader.

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According to Pezeshkian, the Iranian reply, delivered through Oman, did not shut down the possibility of indirect discussions with Washington.

Pezeshkian acknowledged that no progress has been made in talks since Trump withdrew the US from the 2015 nuclear deal in 2018.

Also read: Iran threatens to target US, UK forces in Indian Ocean: Report

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“We don’t avoid talks; it’s the breach of promises that has caused issues for us so far,” Pezeshkian said in a televised speech. “They must prove that they can build trust,” he said.

On Friday, Trump had warned Iran, saying that "bad things" would happen to the nation if it fails to reach a nuclear deal. 

"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.

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The US and Israel have both warned that Iran must not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons.

These warnings have grown stronger as Iran continues to enrich uranium close to weapons-grade levels, a process typically undertaken only by nuclear-armed states.

Also read: 'Bad, bad things will happen': Trump warns Iran on nuclear deal

Iran has always claimed its nuclear activities are for peaceful purposes. Still, some Iranian officials have increasingly hinted at the possibility of developing nuclear weapons.

The tensions between Iran and the US have been high lately after the first US strikes on Yemen since President Donald Trump took office.

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. Since then, Houthi and the US have been exchanging fire.

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

(With inputs from agencies)