WASHINGTON

President Donald Trump said Monday that the US is engaged in "very high-level" talks with Iran over Tehran's nuclear program, saying the negotiations are "in Iran's best interests."

Trump has repeatedly threatened to pursue military action with Tehran if a deal cannot be made, and Iran had previously ruled out having direct negotiations with Washington but held the door open to indirect talks. 

He said that in the interim, Iran has agreed to speak directly.

"We're having direct talks with Iran, and they've started. It'll go on Saturday. We have a very big meeting, and we'll see what can happen. And I think everybody agrees that doing a deal would be preferable to doing the obvious. And the obvious is not something that I want to be involved with," the president told reporters as he hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House.

"Now we're dealing with them directly. And maybe a deal is going to be made, that'd be great, it'll be really great for Iran," he added.