Trump: want to talk to the leader of Iran without preconditions

Trump moderated his threatening rhetoric two days later when he said his administration was ready for Iran to return to the negotiating table.

"We are ready to make a real deal, not the case that was made by the previous administration, which was a disaster," he said.

Trump has long been imposed as a chief negotiator who is more effective when he meets his counterparts face to face. He highlighted his recent interviews with Kim Jong Un of North Korea and Vladimir Putin of Russia as examples of the benefits of such meetings, although both have drawn bipartisan criticism.

"I believe in the meeting," he said, speaking of the benefits of "talking to other people, especially when you talk about potential war and death and famine and a lot of people." Other things. "

Asked to find out if he would set prerequisites for meetings, Trump was clear.

"No prerequisites, no, if they want to meet, I'll meet them whenever they want, whenever they want," he said. "Good for the country, good for them, good for us and good for the world, no prerequisites, if they want to meet, I will meet them."

State Secretary Mike Pompeo told CNBC on Monday that he was on board the president's invitation, but he seemed to add several qualifications.

"If the Iranians demonstrate their commitment to making fundamental changes in the way they treat their own people, reduce their dishonest behavior, may agree that it is worthwhile to enter into a nuclear agreement that actually prevents proliferation, so the president said that he was ready to sit down and discuss with him, "he said.

Garrett Marquis, a spokesman for the president's National Security Council, said in a statement that the United States would not lift any sanctions nor restore their diplomatic and commercial relations until "tangible changes, demonstrated and supported in the policies. "

"Until then," he said, "the sting of sanctions will only become more painful if the regime does not change course."

The reaction of the Trump critics of both parties on the Capitol was mixed, Senator Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., Declaring to reporters: "I really think it's a good idea."

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Bob Corker, R-Tenn, called the opening of "Fine" but only "as long as they are willing to talk about it." A normal country in the future ".

Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., Was more skeptical, calling it "another recipe for bad results".

"It's the same as North Korea," he said. "No prerequisites, no preparation, and what we have, we have Kim Jong Un was raised from an international pariah to someone who appears to be a legitimate statesman."