President Trump Donald John TrumpSteele Dossier sub-source was subject of FBI counterintelligence probe Pelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' Trump 'no longer angry' at Romney because of Supreme Court stance MORE on Friday confirmed he has authorized Sen. Rand Paul Randal (Rand) Howard PaulThe Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Trump previews SCOTUS nominee as 'totally brilliant' Rand Paul says he can't judge 'guilt or innocence' in Breonna Taylor case Overnight Health Care: Health officials tell public to trust in science | Despair at CDC under Trump influence | A new vaccine phase 3 trial starts MORE (R-Ky.) to negotiate with Iran over reducing tensions, reversing himself a day after he denied reports he permitted Paul to serve as an emissary to Tehran.

“Rand is a friend of mine, and Rand asked me if he could get involved. The answer is yes, and if the other senators ask me to get involved, I’d probably say yes depending on who they were,” Trump told reporters at the White House Friday. “I have many people involved, and Iran is going to work out very nicely. “

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On Thursday, Trump told reporters he had not signed off on Paul’s request to help reduce tensions with Iran.

“I would listen to him, but I didn’t appoint him, no,” he said. “No, he’s somebody I listen to, and I respect Sen. Paul, and if he had some ideas I would listen.”

Politico first reported Wednesday that Paul, a staunch isolationist, proposed meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to try to restart negotiations on the White House’s behalf and that Trump approved.

Paul has clashed with some of the president’s more hawkish advisers, including national security adviser John Bolton John BoltonJudge appears skeptical of Bolton's defense of publishing book without White House approval Maximum pressure is keeping US troops in Iraq and Syria Woodward book trails Bolton, Mary Trump in first-week sales MORE and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Michael (Mike) Richard PompeoPutin nominated for Nobel Peace Prize The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Trump previews SCOTUS nominee as 'totally brilliant' Pompeo accused of stumping for Trump ahead of election MORE, and is an outspoken critic of U.S. military interventions in foreign countries. Earlier this year he stressed that the Trump administration must seek approval from Congress if it seeks to go to war with Iran.

Tensions between Washington and Tehran have skyrocketed in recent weeks as Iran exceeded the limits placed on its uranium enrichment by an Obama-era nuclear pact. Trump withdrew the U.S. from the deal last year, but international observers confirmed that Tehran had stayed within the agreement’s bounds until recently.

Trump since withdrawing from the deal has slapped stringent sanctions on Iran's oil industry, metals sector, Revolutionary Guard Corps and supreme leader, which he says have crippled the country’s economy.

“Iran is showing their colors. Going to work out very nicely. Iran is in big trouble right now,” Trump said Friday. “A lot of bad things are happening to them. It’s very easy to straighten out, or it’s very easy for us to make it a lot worse.”

Trump has insisted the administration remains open to negotiating with Iran over its nuclear ambitions and support for armed groups in the region.