Decades of animosity between Iran and the United States are one of the main drivers of instability in the Middle East. Trump has previously taken a strong stand on Iran and particularly on a nuclear program which could lead to the development of atomic weapons. Iran says its nuclear aims are peaceful.

On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump restored his "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran, that includes efforts to drive its oil exports down to zero in order to stop Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

President Trump’s desire to engage in negotiations is a turnabout from his first term, when he often derided former President Barack Obama for agreeing to a nuclear deal with Iran.