Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, confirmed that Tehran will not negotiate under the pressure of “bullying.”
He said, “Some arrogant countries insist on negotiating,” explaining that this negotiation does not aim to resolve pending issues, “but rather to control and impose what these countries want.”
Sayyed Khamenei added, during his meeting with a number of state officials in Iran: “They call for negotiations in order to impose their demands on the other party. If it submits, then that is good, but if it refuses, they make a fuss and say that it has left the negotiating table.”
Sayyed. Khamenei stressed that, for these countries, negotiation represents “a means of raising new demands that will not be limited to the nuclear file, and these are demands that Iran will definitely not accept.” In the same context, Sayyed . Khamenei said that these new demands “are related to the production and range of Iranian missiles, and Iran’s defensive and international capabilities.
Sayyed . Khamenei asked: “Can anyone accept these conditions?!”, adding that those calling for negotiations “repeat this title in order to mislead public opinion and exert pressure on it, but this is not negotiation.”
The Leader of the Revolution pointed out that “the European Troika (France, Britain, and Germany) accuses Iran of not abiding by its commitments under the nuclear agreement,” stressing that it “has not abiding by its commitments since the beginning of the agreement.”
He addressed the leaders of these countries, saying: “After the United States withdrew from the agreement, you promised that you would compensate for that, but you did not abide by that either. And again, you accuse Iran? This is impudence.”
Sayyed . Khamenei pointed out that Western civilization “has today revealed its true nature,” adding: “They claim that they protect the freedom of information exchange, but does this freedom really exist in the West?” Khamenei’s comments came a day after US President Donald Trump said he “wants to negotiate a nuclear deal with Iran” and sent a message to its leadership on Thursday saying he “hopes they will agree to talk.”
In an interview broadcast by Fox News on Friday, Trump said: “I said I hope you negotiate, because it would be much better for Iran.”
