US President Donald Trump has stated that Iran must give up any pursuit of nuclear weapons or potentially face military strikes against its atomic facilities, US-based Reuters reported on April 14.

Trump made the comments on the Iran negotiations while hosting El Salvador's Nayib Bukele in the Oval Office in what has become a fixture of foreign leadership visits. 

Following the weekend meeting in Oman between US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and senior Iranian officials, Trump expressed scepticism about Tehran's intentions in the ongoing negotiations.

"I think they're tapping us along," Trump told reporters in the room. "Iran has to get rid of the concept of a nuclear weapon. They cannot have a nuclear weapon."

When questioned whether US response options include military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, Trump confirmed: "Of course it does."

The president warned that Iran needs to move quickly to avoid harsh consequences because "they're fairly close" to developing a nuclear weapon, according to his assessment.

Trump further stressed in questions that both Iran and El Salvador should not have nuclear weapons while pointing at Bukele sitting in the chair next to him. 

Both countries described the April 12 talks in Oman as "positive" and "constructive," with a second round scheduled for this coming Saturday. Sources familiar with the planning indicated the next meeting is likely to be held in Rome, with discussions aimed at exploring what arrangements might be possible.

The current negotiations represent the first significant diplomatic engagement between the adversaries in years. The last known direct talks between the two governments occurred during Barack Obama's presidency, which produced the 2015 international nuclear deal later abandoned by Trump during his first term.

A source briefed on the current discussions told the US news agency that the talks are focused on developing a broad framework for what a potential agreement might entail.

On April 14, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei announced at his weekly briefing that the country's foreign minister is set to travel to Russia later this week as part of a planned diplomatic agenda, bnm IntelliNews has learned.

Among the topics to be discussed during the visit are the latest developments surrounding talks held in Muscat between Iran and the United States over Iran's nuclear programme, which Russia is heavily invested in, including removing spent fuel as part of the original 2015 nuclear agreement.

Aragchi's trip precedes the scheduled second round of discussions between Iran and the US, slated for April 19 in a European country.