Iran and the United States begin high-stakes talks to reach a new nuclear deal on Saturday foreshadowed by President Trump’s threat of military strikes as a consequence of failure and Tehran’s warning any attack on it would drag the US into another Middle Eastern conflict.

President Donald Trump says that Israel would be the “leader” of a potential military strike against Iran if Tehran doesn’t give up its nuclear weapons program.

The two sides are set to negotiate on Saturday, though expectations for a breakthrough are modest, and distrust high.