DUBAI – Iran’s supreme chief mentioned Friday that negotiations with America “should not clever, smart or honorable” after President Donald Trump floated nuclear talks with Tehran.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei additionally recommended that “there must be no negotiations with such a authorities,” however stopped in need of issuing a direct order to not interact with Washington.
Khamenei’s remarks to air drive officers in Tehran appeared to contradict his personal earlier remarks that opened the door to talks.
The 85-year-old Khamenei all the time has fastidiously threaded his remarks about negotiating with the West.
For months earlier than and after the U.S. election that noticed Trump reclaim the White Home, Iranian officers gave the impression to be signaling that they’re ready for a message from Trump on whether or not he desires to barter over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program. At stake are doubtlessly billions of {dollars} withheld from Iran by way of crushing sanctions and the way forward for a program on the precipice of enriching weapons-grade uranium.
For his half, even when signing an executive order to reimpose his “most stress on Iran” on Tuesday, Trump recommended he needed to cope with Tehran.
“I’m going to signal it, however hopefully we’re not going to have to make use of it very a lot,” he mentioned from the Oval Workplace. “We are going to see whether or not or not we are able to organize or work out a cope with Iran.”
“We don’t need to be robust on Iran. We don’t need to be robust on anyone,” Trump added. “However they simply can’t have a nuclear bomb.”
Trump adopted with one other on-line message on Wednesday, saying: “Reviews that the US, working along side Israel, goes to blow Iran into smithereens, ARE GREATLY EXAGGERATED.”
“I’d a lot want a Verified Nuclear Peace Settlement, which is able to let Iran peacefully develop and prosper,” he wrote on Reality Social. “We must always begin engaged on it instantly, and have a giant Center East Celebration when it’s signed and accomplished.”
Trump didn’t elaborate.
Earlier within the week, Trump additionally mentioned that displaced Palestinians in Gaza may very well be completely resettled outdoors the war-torn territory and proposed the U.S. take “possession” in redeveloping the world into “the Riviera of the Center East.”
Whereas indirectly linking Trump’s feedback on Gaza, Khamenei gave the impression to be referencing them in his remarks as properly.
“The People sit, redrawing the map of the world — however solely on paper, because it has no foundation in actuality,” Khamenei mentioned. “They make statements about us, categorical opinions and subject threats. In the event that they threaten us, we are going to threaten them in return. In the event that they act on their threats, we are going to act on ours. In the event that they violate the safety of our nation, we are going to, no doubt, reply in sort.”
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Related Press author Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report.
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