Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has firmly rejected the idea of engaging in negotiations with the United States over a nuclear deal, following the delivery of a letter from US President Donald Trump urging such talks. In the letter, Trump proposed negotiations but also issued a stark warning, stating that there were two ways to deal with Iran: either through military action or by striking a deal to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
The letter was handed over to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi on Wednesday by Anwar Gargash, the diplomatic adviser to the president of the United Arab Emirates. Despite the proposal, Khamenei expressed his skepticism, calling negotiations with the Trump administration a futile endeavor. He argued that talks with Washington, which has made excessive demands, would only tighten the sanctions and further pressure Iran.
Khamenei’s stance highlights the ongoing tensions following the US’s 2018 withdrawal from the landmark 2015 nuclear deal. Since then, the US has reimposed crippling sanctions, and Tehran has responded by gradually breaching the agreement’s terms. While President Trump has suggested a willingness to negotiate, his administration has reinstated the “maximum pressure” campaign, aimed at isolating Iran and curbing its oil exports.
In addition to the developments with the US, China and Russia are set to hold talks with Iranian officials in Beijing this Friday to discuss the nuclear issue, signaling continued diplomatic efforts from other world powers. Meanwhile, Khamenei has dismissed Trump’s offer of talks as a “deception,” citing the US’s past abandonment of agreements as proof that any future negotiations would be fruitless.
