Donald Trump says he’s willing to meet with Iran president Hassan Rouhani

After swapping threats on Twitter, Donald Trump says he’d be willing to meet Iran President Hassan Rouhani without preconditions.

Donald Trump has said he would be willing to meet with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani without conditions.

“If they want to meet, I’ll meet,” Mr. Trump said overnight (AEST), adding that he would be willing to “meeting with anybody.”

“I believe in meetings,” especially when there was a risk of war, he added.

The US and Iranian leaders swapped taunts last week, escalating security concerns between the two nations when Mr. Rouhani warned the Trump administration against continuing hard-line policies against Iran.

“America should know that peace with Iran is the mother of all peace, and war with Iran is the mother of all wars,” Mr Rouhani said last week. The comments were tougher than usual for the Iranian president, who is seen as a moderate in Iranian politics.

Mr Trump responded with his own threat, posting on a message on Twitter addressed “To Iranian President Rouhani.”

Mr Trump wrote: “NEVER, EVER THREATEN THE UNITED STATES AGAIN OR YOU WILL SUFFER CONSEQUENCES THE LIKES OF WHICH FEW THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE EVER SUFFERED BEFORE.”

To Iranian President Rouhani: NEVER, EVER THREATEN THE UNITED STATES AGAIN OR YOU WILL SUFFER CONSEQUENCES THE LIKES OF WHICH FEW THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE EVER SUFFERED BEFORE. WE ARE NO LONGER A COUNTRY THAT WILL STAND FOR YOUR DEMENTED WORDS OF VIOLENCE & DEATH. BE CAUTIOUS!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 23, 2018

Iranian officials said after Mr Trump’s tweet that they would retaliate against any US military action.

Mr Trump’s comments on Monday were made during a joint news conference at the White House with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, who was in Washington for private talks and an expanded bilateral meeting.

The Wall St Journal