• Updated

President Donald Trump is holding out Saudi Arabia as a model for a reimagined Middle East. He's using his first major foreign trip of his term to emphasize the promise of economic prosperity over instability in a region that is reeling from multiple wars. The president says he will move to lift sanctions on Syria and normalize relations with the new government led by a former insurgent,. And he's touting the U.S. role in bringing about a fragile ceasefire with Yemen's Houthis. But Trump also is indicating his patience is not endless. He urged Iran to make a new nuclear deal with the U.S. or risk severe economic and military consequences.

Iran's supreme leader says that negotiations with America "are not intelligent, wise or honorable" after President Donald Trump floated nuclear talks with Tehran. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also suggested that "there should be no negotiations with such a government," but stopped short of issuing a direct order not to engage with Washington. Khamenei's remarks to air force officers in Tehran on Friday appeared to contradict his own earlier remarks that opened the door to talks. The 85-year-old Khamenei has always carefully threaded his remarks about negotiating with the West. Following his remarks, the Iranian rial sunk to a record low of 872,000 rials to $1 in aftermarket trading.