Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran would pursue "fair and equitable" talks, as the US builds up forces in the region.

Iran is ready to negotiate with the U.S. and is optimistic that a deal can be reached if the goal is to get to a place where the country has no nuclear weapons.

Iran’s president says he has instructed the country’s foreign minister to “pursue fair and equitable negotiations” with the United States.

President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Tuesday that he supported “equitable negotiations.” Talks are expected on Friday, as diplomats work to defuse the crisis.

The blast happened a day before a planned naval drill by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of all oil traded passes.

President Donald Trump said Iran is negotiating “seriously" with the U.S. as he keeps military options on the table and American naval forces move into the region.

By Parisa Hafezi DUBAI, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Iran is weighing the terms for resuming talks with the United States soon, a foreign ministry official said on Monday, after both sides signalled readiness to revive diplomacy over a long-running nuclear dispute and dispel fears of a new regional war.

Iran says it has had summoned all of the European Union ambassadors in the Islamic Republic to protest the bloc’s listing of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard as a terror group.

Iran escalates regional threats while reportedly exploring nuclear talks with the U.S., as violent regime crackdown on protesters killed thousands nationwide.

By Maha El Dahan and Nayera Abdallah DUBAI, Feb 3 - Regional power United Arab Emirates urged Iran and the United States on Tuesday to strike a nuclear deal and reach a long-term solution to tensions ahead of the resumption of talks between the foes and regional states,