Iran refused President Trump’s offer to open direct negotiations with the US over its rapidly advancing nuclear program — despite the commander-in-chief’s personal letter to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei.
President Masoud Pezeshkian said the Islamic republic cannot trust America, with the two nations avoiding any direct talks following Trump’s withdrawal from Tehran’s nuclear deal during his first term.
“We don’t avoid talks; it’s the breach of promises that has caused issues for us so far,” Pezeshkian said in his first response to the letter Trump sent to Tehran regarding its nuclear program.
Donald Trump sent a letter to Iran’s supreme leader to negotiate its growing nuclear program. AFP via Getty Images“They must prove that they can build trust,” he added. “”Although the possibility of direct negotiations between the two sides has been rejected in this response, it has been emphasized that the path for indirect negotiations remains open.”
The response comes after the US began an intense airstrike campaign against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, with Trump warning that Iran’s nuclear program may be a future target.
The White House did not respond to Pezeshkian’s statement Sunday.
Trump revealed last month that he sent a letter to Grand Ayatollah Khamenei, calling on him to negotiate with the US or face potential military action.
Trump and Israel have warned that they will not allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons following reports from the UN’s nuclear watchdog that Tehran’s uranium enrichment projects are approaching weapons-grade levels.
“We don’t avoid talks; it’s the breach of promises that has caused issues for us so far,” Pezeshkian said in televised remarks. “They must prove that they can build trust.” APThe International Atomic Energy Agency’s latest report warned that Iran had “significantly increased production and accumulation of high enriched uranium.”
Iran has maintained that its nuclear projects are not focusing on weapons, even as Tehran officials repeatedly threaten to pursue the bomb.
Trump levied his latest threats against Tehran on Sunday, warning that the US would bomb and place “secondary tariffs” against Iran if it did not reach a new nuclear deal with the US.
“If they don’t make a deal, there will be bombing,” Trump told NBC News. “It will be bombing the likes of which they have never seen before.”
While Iran said direct talks weren’t taking place, Trump claimed officials in Washington and Tehran were “talking” on the matter.
Khamenei previously told the Trump administration that threats against Iran “will get them nowhere,” warning that any military actions will result in a “hard slap” from Tehran.
With Post wires
