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Khamenei refuses negotiations with Washington under pressure... contradictions about Trump's message
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Khamenei's statements refusing negotiations under pressure reflect a hardline Iranian position facing American efforts to bring Tehran back to the negotiating table regarding its nuclear program
Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, announced Saturday that his country refuses to negotiate under pressure from any "state practicing bullying," following a day after U.S. President Donald Trump's statement that he sent a correspondence to the highest authority in the Islamic Republic to discuss a nuclear deal.
Trump mentioned during an interview with "Fox Business" channel that he is seeking to negotiate an agreement concerning the nuclear weapons program.
He added: "I sent a letter, yesterday Thursday, to Iran's leader to negotiate an agreement," expressing his hope to negotiate an agreement regarding the nuclear weapons program with Iran.
Khamenei stated: "Tehran will never accept demands to curb its missile program. Some countries that practice bullying insist on talks to impose their demands and not to resolve issues."
He continued: "Some arrogant governments - I don't really know a more appropriate term for some foreign figures and leaders than the word arrogance - insist on talks. Their talks are not aimed at settling issues but rather for conspiring and imposing their expectations."
For his part, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi denied on Saturday that his country had received any correspondence from the American administration.
Bloomberg had reported last Tuesday that Russia agreed to help the Trump administration communicate with Iran on various issues, including Tehran's nuclear program and its support for anti-American proxies in the region.
The "Bloomberg" report, which was circulated by official Russian media, quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying: "Russia believes that the United States and Iran should resolve their common issues through negotiations. Moscow is ready to do everything in its power to help achieve this."
