A U.S. delegation including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner told President Donald Trump that history shows that it is difficult to impossible to reach a good deal with Iran, according to News 12 in Israel.
"We will continue negotiations and take a tough line. If they agree to what we are asking for, we will give you the option and you decide," the two told Trump.
The report comes as Washington and Tehran seek to revive diplomacy over Tehran's long-running nuclear dispute with the West.
Witkoff and Kushner will hold negotiations with Iran on Tuesday in Geneva, with representatives from Oman acting as mediators.
Witkoff and Kushner will also meet officials from Russia and Ukraine on Tuesday in Geneva in the U.S. drive to bring an end to the war in Ukraine, according to a source who spoke with Reuters.
Washington wants nuclear talks with Iran to also cover the country's ballistic missiles, support for armed groups around the region and the treatment of the Iranian people.
Iran has said it is prepared to discuss curbs on its nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctions but has ruled out linking the issue to missiles.
Trump has threatened strikes on Iran if no agreement is reached, while Tehran has vowed to retaliate, stoking fears of a wider war as the U.S. amasses forces in the Middle East. The U.S. targeted Iran's nuclear facilities in strikes last year.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump have agreed to a “maximum pressure policy” to force Iran to give up its nuclear program, including clamping down on the sale of Tehran’s oil to China, according to a Channel 12 news report.
"We agreed that we will pursue a policy of maximum pressure against Iran with all our might, for example — with regard to the sale of Iranian oil to China," a U.S. official told the news outlet.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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