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U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed a strong interest in negotiating a nuclear agreement with Iran, revealing that he has sent a letter to Iran’s leadership urging them to engage in discussions.

"I said I hope you're going to negotiate because it's going to be a lot better for Iran," Trump remarked during an interview with Fox Business Network, which aired on Friday.

Highlighting the importance of addressing Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Trump suggested that alternative measures may be required if diplomatic efforts fail.

"I think they want to receive that letter. The other alternative is we have to act, because you can't allow another nuclear weapon," he stated.

The letter appears to have been directed to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, though the White House has not officially confirmed its content or recipient.

In parallel diplomatic efforts, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov held a meeting with Iranian Ambassador Kazem Jalali to discuss international efforts to resolve the situation surrounding Iran’s nuclear program, according to an announcement from the Russian Foreign Ministry on Friday.

BofA's 12 Stock Picks with High Upside Potential

BofA Securities has identified 12 large-cap stocks offering potential returns between 11% and 40%, backed by strong growth triggers and attractive valuations.

• Price Target: ₹9,350
• Upside Potential: 11%
• Key Drivers: Effective asset quality management, stable funding costs, peak credit costs, and risk-adjusted lending strategy. The company’s leadership continuity supports medium-term growth objectives.

• Price Target: ₹6,000
• Upside Potential: 17%
• Key Drivers: Positioned as a rare growth opportunity in the slowing two-wheeler market. Expected earnings and valuation expansion, trading at 26x FY26 earnings and 23x FY27 earnings.

• Price Target: ₹6,850
• Upside Potential: 23%
• Key Drivers: Anticipated 25%+ earnings growth over the next two years, driven by faster capacity expansion and GLP-1-related opportunities.

• Price Target: ₹1,500
• Upside Potential: 23%
• Key Drivers: Superior earnings visibility, strong asset quality, and a high provision buffer, making it one of the safest banks in the current macroeconomic landscape.

Bitcoin Drops Over 5% as Trump’s Strategic Reserve Plan Disappoints Investors

Bitcoin prices declined sharply on Friday, tumbling over 5% after White House crypto czar David Sacks clarified that the U.S. government would not use taxpayer funds to establish a strategic Bitcoin reserve, as ordered by President Donald Trump.

The price of Bitcoin fell as much as 4.63% to $87,925 as of 10:35 AM, with Ethereum, XRP, Cardano, and Solana also experiencing losses of up to 5%.

A day before hosting cryptocurrency industry leaders at the White House, President Trump signed an executive order to create a strategic Bitcoin reserve. The reserve will be funded using Bitcoin already owned by the federal government, primarily acquired through civil and criminal asset forfeitures, according to billionaire David Sacks in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

Trump also announced that the five digital assets expected to be included in the reserve are Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Solana, and Cardano, boosting their market values upon the announcement.

Ashish Singhal, Co-founder of CoinSwitch, viewed the move as a long-term positive development for the crypto industry, despite the initial market downturn.

“By choosing to build Bitcoin reserves through enforcement actions rather than taxpayer funds, the U.S. is signaling its commitment to the future of digital finance. While the market’s initial reaction has been mixed, the long-term impact is bullish—bringing regulatory clarity, reducing uncertainty, and strengthening institutional adoption.”