Australia News LIVE: Trump touts ‘very friendly’ talks with Iran, US walks out of UN talks with France

US President Donald Trump has touted his “very friendly” conversations with Iranian officials as the two countries’ top diplomats met for crisis talks at the United Nations. However, the US walked out of a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday, amid tensions over Iran’s nuclear program.

The meeting between Trump and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was seen as an effort to ease tensions between the two nations, which have been escalating in recent weeks. Trump said he had “very friendly” conversations with Zarif, but it remained unclear what concessions Iran might be willing to make on its nuclear program.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo walked out of a meeting with Macron at the United Nations, citing disagreements over Iran’s nuclear activities. The move was seen as a rebuff to French efforts to broker a compromise between Washington and Tehran.

The tensions between the US and France come amid growing concerns about Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Last week, the International Atomic Energy Agency reported that Iran had begun enriching uranium at levels above 3.67%, raising fears of a potential nuclear breakout.

US officials have long been critical of Macron’s efforts to engage with Iranian leaders, arguing that they are too soft on Tehran’s nuclear program. The US has imposed strict sanctions on Iran in an effort to pressure the country into dismantling its nuclear program.

Macron has argued that dialogue is necessary to prevent a catastrophic conflict between the US and Iran. His efforts have been met with skepticism by some of his European allies, who are wary of getting drawn into the escalating tensions.

As the standoff continues, analysts say it’s unclear what concessions Iran might be willing to make on its nuclear program. However, experts note that any agreement would require significant compromises from both sides, including US guarantees on security and economic aid for Tehran.

The crisis has sparked concerns about a potential war between the US and Iran, with many warning of the devastating consequences such a conflict could have for regional stability and global markets.