Washington: United States President Donald Trump has said he wants Iran to agree not to produce nuclear weapons. Trump withdrew last year from a nuclear deal that was struck with Tehran and six world powers in 2015.
He has imposed stringent sanctions against what he described as the "authoritarian" Iranian regime. Asked about a possibility of a deal with Iran, Trump said on Thursday he wants the Persian Gulf nation to agree not to produce nukes.
The president also denied reports that he has appointed Senator Rand Paul as his emissary on Iran. He indicated Rand Paul would not be authorised as a negotiator with the Iranians.
"I didn't appoint him," Trump said. "All we want to do is have a fair deal." The US has ruled out giving any exemption to countries, including India, for buying oil from Iran, saying America's maximum pressure campaign was working and the Trump administration remains "unwavering" in its tough policy on Tehran.
India has ended all imports of oil from Iran to comply with the US sanctions. The country is India's third-largest oil supplier behind Iraq and Saudi Arabia.
