Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Saturday that Tehran's intention is to reach a "fair and honourable agreement" with the United States. His comments came hours before the start of high-level talks between the two sides as US President Donald Trump said Friday that Iran "can't have a nuclear weapon".  

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"Our intention is to reach a fair and honourable agreement from an equal position, and if the other side also comes from the same position, then hopefully there will be a chance for an initial understanding that will lead to a path of negotiations," he said, according to a video posted by state TV. 

Top diplomats of both sides arrived in Oman for high-stakes nuclear talks which have become crucial as they are happening under the shadow of regional conflict and possible escalation. 

Also read: White House says US-Iran nuclear talks will be ‘direct’; Tehran insists they’re not

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Iran 'can't have a nuclear weapon'

"I want Iran to be a wonderful, great, happy country. But they can't have a nuclear weapon," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, hours before his envoy Steve Witkoff's meeting with Araghchi in Oman. 

He has given Iran a two-month deadline to accept a deal that would lead to Iran shrinking its nuclear footprint or eliminating its program altogether. 

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Also read: ‘Talk to US or risk regime collapse’: Top Iranian officials pressured Khamenei to allow US-Iran nuclear talks

If both sides fail to reach an agreement, Trump said military strikes are possible against Iran. His remarks suggested Iran's arch-enemy Israel would take the lead as Tel Aviv has been calling for an attack on Iran. Israel has already weakened Iran's allies Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza. 

As per a statement by Iran, Araghchi set out Tehran's position on the "indirect" talks with Oman's Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi after arriving in Muscat.  

"Araghchi provided the Omani foreign minister with Iran's basis and positions on the talks for transmission to the other side," Iran's foreign ministry said. 

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Witkoff expected to lead the US team 

Witkoff told The Wall Street Journal that "our position today" starts with demanding that Iran completely dismantle its nuclear programme -- a view held by hardliners around Trump that few expect Iran would ever accept. 

"That doesn't mean, by the way, that at the margin we're not going to find other ways to find compromise between the two countries," Witkoff told the newspaper. 

"Where our red line will be, there can't be weaponisation of your nuclear capability," he added. 

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In 2015, Iran reached a landmark nuclear deal with major powers that gave it relief from international sanctions in return for restrictions on its nuclear activities monitored by UN inspectors. 

But in 2018, during Trump's first term in office, the US withdrew from the agreement and reinstated biting sanctions on Iran. A year later, Iran began rolling back on its commitments under the agreement and accelerated its nuclear programme. 

(With inputs from agencies)