US must return to nuclear deal for talks: Iranian adviser

TEHRAN: An adviser to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says if President Donald Trump wants talks, he needs to rejoin the international nuclear deal that he unilaterally pulled out of earlier this year.

Trump on Monday said he'd meet with Rouhani if the Iranian leader were willing.

Iranian leadership has previously ruled out one-on-one talks with Trump after his decision to pull the United States out of the deal under which Iran was given relief from sanctions in return for curbs on its nuclear program.

Iran's semi-official ISNA news agency quoted political adviser Hamid Aboutalebi as saying Tuesday that for talks to happen, the US needs to rejoin the deal.

Aboutalebi says "those who believe in dialogue as a method of resolving disputes in civilized societies should be committed to the means."