() Iran must not be able to acquire a nuclear weapon, says retired Lieutenant General Richard Newton, a national security correspondent.

The former U.S. Air Force assistant vice chief of staff joined ” Now” to discuss President Trump’s direct meeting with Iran on Saturday and his threat of bombing Iran should a deal over its nuclear programs not occur.

“The bottom line is, first and foremost, U.S. national security interests are that Iran cannot get a nuclear weapon,” Newton said.

“That would upset all U.S. national security … and there would obviously be a proliferation of other nuclear weapons [in] nation-states such as Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and so forth,” he added.

While President Trump has said there will be direct talks, Iran has said they will be indirect. It follows the president’s proclamation that he will bomb Iran unless a deal is struck to halt its nuclear weapons program.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X that talks would be indirect.

“Iran and the United States will meet in Oman on Saturday for indirect high-level talks,” he wrote. “It is as much an opportunity as it is a test. The ball is in America’s court.”