'All options are on table,' White House says over Iran's nuclear program

US President Donald Trump aims at preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, the White House said Friday ahead of Saturday's talks in Oman, adding "all options on the table."

"These will be direct talks with the Iranians, and I want to make that very clear," spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told the reporters.

Trump's "ultimate goal is to ensure that Iran can never obtain a nuclear weapon," Leavitt said.

"The president believes in diplomacy, direct talks, talking directly in the same room in order to achieve that goal, but he's made it very clear to the Iranians and his national security team as well, that all options are on the table, and Iran has a choice to make.

"You can agree to President Trump's demand, or there will be all hell to pay, and that's how the president feels. He feels very strongly about it," she added.

Earlier this week, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said both sides will meet for "indirect" high-level talks. "It is as much an opportunity as it is a test. The ball is in America's court," Araghchi wrote on X.

Iran and world powers signed a nuclear agreement in 2015 for curbs on Tehran's nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. However, Donald Trump withdrew from the deal in 2018.

Trump says Iran must not be allowed to have a nuclear weapon and has warned of military action if the talks do not succeed.

Iran, meanwhile, argues its nuclear program is for civilian energy purposes only.