‘Not only about Iran's nuclear issue…’: Ayatollah Khamenei warns Tehran will not negotiate under Washington ‘bullying’

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday stated that Iran will not be pressured into negotiations, following U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement that he had sent a letter to Iran’s top leader urging talks on a nuclear deal.

In an interview with Fox Business, Trump remarked, "There are two ways to address Iran: militarily, or through a deal" to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons, Reuters reported.

Here's what Khamenei said…

During a meeting with senior Iranian officials, Khamenei emphasised that Washington’s goal was to “force their own demands,” according to Iranian state media.

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“The insistence of some bullying governments on negotiations is not to resolve issues. ... Talks for them is a pathway to have new demands, it is not only about Iran's nuclear issue. ... Iran will definitely not accept their expectations,” Khamenei was quoted as saying, without directly mentioning Trump.

In reaction to Khamenei's remarks, White House National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes echoed Trump's stance, emphasizing the option of either negotiations or military action with Iran.

Hughes stated in a statement, “We hope the Iranian regime prioritizes the welfare of its people and its own interests over supporting terrorism.”

While expressing openness to a deal with Tehran, Trump has reinstated a “maximum pressure” campaign that was applied during his first term as president to isolate Iran from the global economy and drive its oil exports to zero.

During his presidency from 2017 to 2021, Trump withdrew the United States from a landmark agreement between Iran and world powers, which had imposed strict limits on Tehran's nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.

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After Trump's exit from the deal in 2018 and the re-imposition of sanctions, Iran violated and greatly exceeded those limits.

Rafael Grossi, the head of the UN nuclear watchdog, has warned that time is running out for diplomatic efforts to impose new restrictions on Iran’s nuclear activities, as Tehran continues to accelerate uranium enrichment to near weapons-grade levels, Reuters reported.

Tehran maintains that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.

Khamenei, who has the last say on Iran's key policies, said there was “no other way to stand against coercion and bullying”.

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“They are bringing up new demands that certainly will not be accepted by Iran, like our defence capabilities, missile range and international influence,” he was quoted as saying.

Although Tehran says its ballistic missile programme is purely defensive, it is seen in the West as a destabilising factor in a volatile, conflict-ridden Middle East.

Tehran has in recent months announced new additions to its conventional weaponry, such as its first drone carrier and an underground naval base amid rising tensions with the U.S. and Israel, Reuters reported.

(With inputs from Reuters)