Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has firmly dismissed calls for negotiations with the United States, asserting that such efforts are not genuine attempts to resolve conflicts but rather strategies to exert foreign influence over Iran. His remarks were a direct response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s renewed push for discussions regarding Iran’s nuclear program.
In an interview, Trump disclosed that he had sent a letter to Khamenei, urging him to engage in negotiations rather than risk a potential military confrontation. “There are two ways Iran can be handled: militarily, or you make a deal,” Trump said, emphasizing that while he preferred diplomacy, he would not tolerate Iran’s nuclear ambitions. “I hope you’re going to negotiate because it’s going to be a lot better for Iran,” he added.
Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump suggested that a nuclear agreement with Iran could be forthcoming while reaffirming his administration’s “maximum pressure” policy. While expressing optimism about diplomacy, he warned that military action remained an option should negotiations fail. The president reiterated that he had personally reached out to Iran’s Supreme Leader, urging Tehran to come to the table or face severe consequences.
Last summer, American authorities alerted the Trump campaign of a human source who indicated that Iran intended to carry out a plot to assassinate the current president.
Although it remains uncertain whether Khamenei received the letter, his latest statements strongly indicate a rejection of Trump’s approach. Without directly referencing the U.S. president, Khamenei condemned Western nations for insisting on negotiations, arguing that their true objective is not diplomatic resolution but coercion.
“The insistence on the part of some bully states on negotiations is not to resolve issues, but to dominate and impose their own expectations,” Khamenei stated during a meeting with senior Iranian officials in Tehran. “The Islamic Republic of Iran will definitely not accept their demands.”
Trump’s policies toward Iran have shifted over time. During his first term, he withdrew the United States from the 2015 nuclear agreement negotiated under the Obama administration, instead implementing a “maximum pressure” sanctions strategy that significantly escalated tensions. This approach ultimately led to the U.S.-ordered assassination of Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani. Since returning to office, Trump has intensified diplomatic and economic pressure on Iran while simultaneously expressing an interest in striking a new nuclear deal.
For its part, Iran maintains that its nuclear program is intended solely for peaceful purposes. Khamenei has repeatedly rejected the idea of negotiations with Washington, insisting that engaging in talks under pressure would be strategically unwise.
As tensions persist, reported CNN, Saudi Arabia has attempted to mediate between the U.S. and Iran. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi recently met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh in an effort to de-escalate regional hostilities. Meanwhile, Russia has expressed interest in facilitating nuclear negotiations, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirming discussions with U.S. officials in Saudi Arabia earlier this week.
