Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Monday dismissed a renewed offer of negotiations from US President Donald Trump, while rejecting claims that American and Israeli airstrikes this past June had destroyed Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, Reuters reported, citing Iranian state media.
Khamenei responded sharply to Trump’s overture, stating, “Trump says he is a dealmaker, but if a deal is accompanied by coercion and its outcome is predetermined, it is not a deal but rather an imposition and bullying.”
The remarks come after five rounds of indirect nuclear negotiations between Tehran and Washington, which concluded with a 12-day air campaign in June targeting Iranian nuclear sites by Israel and the United States.
Last week, President Trump addressed the Knesset, expressing hope that Washington could broker a “peace deal” with Tehran, following the recent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Khamenei rebuffed Trump’s comments, saying, “The US president proudly says they bombed and destroyed Iran’s nuclear industry. Very well, keep dreaming!”
He added, “What does it have to do with America whether Iran has nuclear facilities or not? These interventions are inappropriate, wrong and coercive.”
While Trump has offered Iran a return to negotiations on its nuclear program, he has also said that he would “absolutely” consider bombing Iranian nuclear sites again if he thought it necessary.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has firmly dismissed any suggestions that Iran is preparing to resume nuclear negotiations with the United States in the wake of the recent conflict.
“Some speculations about the resumption of negotiations should not be taken seriously,” Araghchi declared weeks after the conflict, adding, “I would like to state clearly that no agreement, arrangement or conversation has been made to start new negotiations. No plan has been set yet to start negotiations.”