Possible to meet Rouhani at UN: Trump

US President Donald Trump has said it is possible for him to meet his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani at the UN.

Speaking on Wednesday before a bilateral meeting with Kuwait's visiting Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Trump said "anything is possible" regarding the meeting, Xinhua reported.

"Whether they want to talk or not, that's up to them, not up to me," he said. "I will always be available... we'll see what happens."

Trump said on July 30 that he is ready to meet with Rouhani without preconditions.

"I'd meet with anybody. I believe in meeting," Trump said. "They want to meet, I'll meet. Any time they want. Good for the country. Good for them. Good for us. And good for the world."

However, the US in August re-imposed sanctions on Iran that had been suspended under a landmark 2015 nuclear deal.

Rouhani said in response that the Iranians would make the US "regretful" for its renewal of sanctions.

He also said that the US administration "is not trustworthy for any negotiations" after its withdrawal from the Iranian nuclear deal, since "negotiations with sanctions don't make sense".

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also said lately that any negotiation with the US to solve the existing problems is an "obvious mistake".

US-Iranian relations have been at odds as the Trump administration left the historic Iran nuclear deal, de-legitimised its government, vowed to re-impose sanctions on the nation and pressed other nations to cut down their purchase of Iranian oil to zero.

--IANS

pgh/