Members of US President Donald Trump's administration have held direct talks with Iranian officials to try to ease tension in the Persian Gulf, sources close to the governments of the countries in the region have said, reports the Financial Times (FT).

The talks between Washington and Tehran have enabled Iranian officials to assure Trump that Iran will not execute those involved in the unrest in the country.

Further talks between the two parties are likely in the coming days. This dialogue could be facilitated by third countries such as Russia or Oman.

Egypt, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey have urged the White House to refrain from striking Iran, as such a development could harm Iran's neighbors and lead to a rise in global oil and natural gas prices.

Tension has eased, and the US is giving talks with Iran time to see how things develop, an Arab official told the FT.

The unrest in Iran began on December 29 after street protests sparked by the sharp fall in the exchange rate of the Iranian national currency, the rial, and spread to most major cities of the country. Iranian authorities have reported the deaths of about 40 law enforcement officers. There were armed terrorists among the protesters, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had said. Iranian authorities have blamed Israel and the US for planning the unrest. And US President Donald Trump had earlier warned that he was seriously considering the possibility of using force against Iran.