Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Saturday Iran will not be bullied into negotiations, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump said he had sent a letter to the country's top authority to negotiate a nuclear deal.
In an interview with Fox Business, Trump said "there are two ways Iran can be handled: militarily, or you make a deal" to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
At a meeting with senior Iranian officials, Khamenei said the aim of Washington's offer for negotiations was to "impose their own expectations", Iranian state media reported.
"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.
While expressing an 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 2017-2021 term, Trump withdrew the United States from a landmark deal between Iran and major powers that placed strict limits on Tehran's nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.
After Trump pulled out in 2018 and re-imposed sanctions, Iran breached and far surpassed those limits.
U.N. nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi has said time is running out for diplomacy to impose new restrictions on Iran's activities, as Tehran continues to accelerate its enrichment of uranium to near weapons-grade.
Tehran says its nuclear work is solely for peaceful purposes.
Khamenei, who has the last say on Iran's key policies, said there was "no other way to stand against coercion and bullying".
"They are bringing up new demands that certainly will not be accepted by Iran, like our defense capabilities, missile range and international influence," he was quoted as saying.
Although Tehran says its ballistic missile program 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.
© Thomson Reuters 2025.
56 Comments
TaiwanIsNotChina
Iran could be living in peace and prosperity but instead it chooses to wage a one sided war against Israel and the US.
JJE
Iran is a decent country - to lower tensions in the wider region, Russia will broker talks.
They were abused by the colonialists and the imperialists, who frankly, have no idea of the long history of that land.
TaiwanIsNotChina
72 years ago. Time for the Islamic Republic to put on some big boy pants.
Tamarama
TINC
You mean 'If they do what the US tells them to do'.
Sounds Imperialist.
Underworld
JJE
They did already, when Obama reached a deal. But stupid Trump ripped up the deal and replaced it with nothing.
Now we can't involve Russia because they are a terrorist state.
Now the biggest colonialist and imperialist is Russia.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Supporting terrorism is not a valid course of action under international law I'm sure.
bass4funk
Had Obama not try and secretly do a deal not involving Congress knowing he shouldn’t have with Iran, we wouldn’t be here.
https://www.usnews.com/news/the-report/articles/2016-01-21/obamas-iran-nuclear-deal-is-a-bad-deal-off-to-a-worse-start
President Barack Obama never submitted his Iranian nuclear deal for ratification by the Congress because he knew it would have no chance of passing. That does not make the United States unique: The Iranian parliament has never approved it either (that body passed a heavily amended version) and the Iranian president has never signed it. The Iranian cabinet has never even discussed it. And the other members of the P5+1 – Britain, China, Germany, France and Russia – have likewise given it short legal shrift. Indeed, President Obama "may end up being the only person in the world to sign his much-wanted deal, in effect making a treaty with himself," as the Gatestone Institute's Amir Taheri has said.
In other words, Iran is not legally bound to do anything, something which a State Department official admitted last November in a letter to Kansas GOP Rep. Mike Pompeo of the House Intelligence Committee, in which she stated the deal "is not a treaty or an executive agreement, and is not a signed document." Instead, the official wrote, its success "will depend not on whether it is legally binding or signed, but rather on the extensive verification measures" and our "capacity to reimpose and ramp up our sanctions if Iran does not meet its commitments." And how is that going?
And the funny thing is, USNews is not some conservative right news outlet, not even close.
Tamarama
Would that include the US Supporting State terrorism too, or is that different?
Fighto!
Decent?
Iran is run by a pack of amoral, misogynist, violent old men who at their core despise women and girls. Women and girls are banned from riding bicycles; must cover up from head to toe; vigilante violence against women and girls is actively encouraged by the Iranian regime for perceived "crimes"; there have been numerous examples recently of schoolgirls in Iran being deliberately poisoned for perceived "crimes". The list goes on.
No. Iran is an incredibly indecent place - particularly for all females.
Peter Neil
iran is what it is now because of the u.k. and u.s. overthrowing the democratic, economically thriving nation where women could wear what they wanted and be what they wanted to install the shah - a dictator.
as much as it pains me to say, iran is right. the u.s. never lives up to any treaties or agreements, ever.
and there it is.
JJE
Fighto - why does Japan import oil from Iran?
JJE
The former Jpn PM Abe went to Tehran.
Ask yourself why before going on a tirade.
lincolnman
Bullying? You haven't been paying attention Aya...
The US under the Demented Dimwit is now PART OF the Axis of Evil...
He is your bud, your homey, your FRIEND....just like Vlad...
You'll be getting a Bedminster golf invite soon...
The Avenger
Shut down Bushehr IMMEDIATELY and take the core out IMMEDIATELY and get it off site or at least to a location where if there is a hit on the facility, Iran does not end up with Chernobyl 4X. Lights out. Better that than a catastrope.
Kiss the centrifuges goodbye, they are pathetic trash anyway and get the nuclear materials to a location, you know, like YOUR DEEPEST MINE and hide them there IMMEDIATELY so they don't end up spewed all the way to the Lut. Forget procedure, you have a national emergency on your hands, and it is called: NOT DIGGING A HOLE when you had all the time in the world to do things right. Fordo is TOAST. If anyone wondered why Norad moved their main ops out of Cheyenne mountain, it's because the real bunker busters would bust that mountain.The bottom line:
Iran needs to kiss it's nuclear projects away, at least for a time. All those materials need to be put in a mine that has tunnels MILES underground so that if they do get struck, Iran won't be a toxic wasteland.
deanzaZZR
The Art of the Deal man strikes again.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Had Trump not petulantly fled the room without executing the snapback provisions we wouldn't be here.
TaiwanIsNotChina
You do realize the Iran you are talking about was under the Shah, right?
TaiwanIsNotChina
What the US does nowhere near Iran is not relevant.
bass4funk
Go back to 2015 look at the man who got the deal rolling and talk to me again. Before you construct any building you need to lay out a foundation first, without that, nothing else matters, nothing.
TaiwanIsNotChina
We are told Trump can read. If not that is a serious problem.
HopeSpringsEternal
Art of the deal, Trump's got Putin as facilitate a deal, especially due to Iran's growing role as a proxy partner to support Russia in their Ukraine security operation.
Expect Russia to provide Iran security assurances in the form a nuclear umbrella protection in order for Iran to abandon their WMD programs.
HopeSpringsEternal
If successful, it'll be more positive DJT leadership, preventing WMD proliferation PEACEFULLY, but Peace in Ukraine is likely a necessary pre-condition for Putin.
Fos
To put it with the Political Analyst and Columbia University Professor Jeffrey Sachs: ‘The United States are the most lawless and dangerous country in the world by far’
If we want to explore further on the "foreign policies" of White House on Iran in 1953, amongst others initiatives around the world, lets check this self explanatory video, time code 8’20”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wIOqHSsV9c
Peter Neil
“ You do realize the Iran you are talking about was under the Shah, right?”
i thought i made that clear.
theFu
Iran is a nice place, if only they'd remove their fundamentalists leaders.
Average Iranians aren't hard liners like the military and leaders. They want trade with the world. They don't want to cause problems. They want peace.
I'm surprised there isn't a missile hitting their nuclear weapons facilities every year, to make a point. If the rebuild, hit the new locations, every year.
Trump won't achieve peace anywhere, not even with Canada. He's to full of himself. Does Trump know how critical Canada was in getting US people out of Iran? Probably not. It wasn't on any reality TV show.
Peter Neil
the only country that has invaded more countries than russia in the last 100 years is the u.s.
geronimo2006
Trumps negotiations with Kim Jong Un = zero result
Trumps negotiations with Putin = zero result (well, actually so far a gain to Russia)
Trumps negotiations with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei = ???
Not going to be hard guessing the outcome of this one. Like most other tyrrants, when the economy goes bad because of gross mismanagement, he needs a serious distraction.
Underworld
bass4funk
Oh, so not involving Congress is bad?
I would never have thought so looking at what Musk is doing.
Underworld
Fos
Jeffery Sachs is a Russian shill.
https://web.archive.org/web/20230806172854/https://news.berkeley.edu/2023/03/20/open-letter-to-jeffrey-sachs-on-the-russia-ukraine-war/
Underworld
HopeSpringsEternal
Trump ruined the previous deal, it's doubtful he can fix it.
Putin doesn't want peace in Ukraine. That's why he told Trump to get lost.
TokyoLiving
Well done Iran..
Dignity against vultures..
Fos
A reminder of history lesson, readily available on proper print books
Mossadegh, Iran's prime minister, was overthrown in a 1953 CIA-backed coup known as Operation Ajax. His government had nationalized Iran's oil industry, angering both the British and the U.S. After his removal, the Shah was restored to power, marking the beginning of an authoritarian regime until the 1979 Revolution.
bass4funk
Yes, you cannot make a deal and especially one with a nation where we don't even have diplomatic relations with.
Being an advisor is nowhere near close to being the President making treaties in secret unilaterally.
Yarnaby
I wish someone could tell Mahsa Amini that.
GuruMick
Anyone with a modicum of knowledge knows that contracts and deals made under duress are worthless, meaningless, no value in law or international negotiations.
Iran and US HAD A DEAL made by Obama and under the supervision of the International Group who inspected whether Iran was keeping its end of the deal. It was.
Corporal heel spurs tore this functioning deal up, went back on the word of America...why...because for decades the US Neo Con war mongering trash has been itching to control Iran and its oil reserves etc.
Now using Israel as its ME attack dog.
I say this...go to war with Iran and the USA LOSS in Afghanistan will look like a lost washed out soft ball game.
USA or Israel drops nukes on Iran and the whole ME ...including Nuke Armed Islamic Pakistan will kick your butts to kingdom come.
Cant come soon enough in my opinion.
Underworld
bass4funk
Oh, so not involving Congress is bad?
But they did.
I would never have thought so looking at what Musk is doing.
He's firing people unilaterally. He's closing down agencies (USAID) unilaterally.
And whether you blame Musk (now only an advisor) or Trump, they aren't involving Congress.
HopeSpringsEternal
Iran will likely follow Putin's lead and do a deal with DJT, helping to stabilize the entire world and avoid more senseless and costly$ war.
HopeSpringsEternal
Leadership in Iran is rational and thus trust Putin's judgement regarding DJT, who has a track record of ending, not starting wars.
Russia providing nuclear umbrella security an excellent compromise to ensure Iran's security without the need for WMDs
bass4funk
And this is why the treaty was so bad, because it wasn't a legitimate legal and binding document approved and passed by Congress.
They have nothing to do with the US, he is the President of the US, not the International community, what they say means squat without congressional approval
Wrong.
Not at all, Iran never liked, accepted or acknowledged Israel's existence, look who they support, Hezbollah, and how many times has Israel been in fights with them? They will attack on they own when they feel it is necessary.
Not really, we don't need to destroy the country, just strategic strikes and destroy their defense capabilities, that is very easy to do, and they can remotely do it.
Yeah, sure....
They wouldn't do jack, remember the 6-day war and let's not forget, if the Arab nations surrounding Israel wanted to gang up and attack it they could have done it several times and yet, they did not, because they all know what would happen, that is why Isreal is not leaving its Jewish homeland, that will never happen,
Underworld
HopeSpringsEternal
Following Putin's lead? Putin is still waging the war in Ukraine.
And what part of "Iran will not negotiate under U.S. bullying, Supreme Leader says" says to you that Trump will be successful in Iran?
Underworld
bass4funk
Anyone with a modicum of knowledge knows that contracts and deals made under duress are worthless, meaningless, no value in law or international negotiations.
But Iran was abiding by it.
bass4funk
And now nullified as it should have been.
On the orders of the President, he can do that, being the President's advisor under the branch of the executive
As an advisor, he doesn't have to constitutionally
Underworld
HopeSpringsEternal
What war has Trump ended?
Underworld
bass4funk
But they did.
So that Iran can pursue a nuclear program with no constraints?
I don't think so.
And whether you blame Musk (now only an advisor) or Trump, they aren't involving Congress.
Trump isn't an advisor. He is president.
bass4funk
They are not, if Israel goes in, that's it.
bass4funk
They did not, this is why they are in the mess that they are in
The Ayatollah says different
And can hire any advisor he wants to execute EO on his behalf
Underworld
bass4funk
But Iran was abiding by it.
They were before Trump ripped it up.
bass4funk
The last few attacks on the US and Israel prove something different, if they really wanted peace, there would be no provocation, either way, not looking good for the regime. Isreal has shown how far they can reach to get anyone, Talk to Hamas, they will tell....oh, wait...
Fos
As if we need another sherif in town. The only debate we have now is whether Israel or United States of America is the most hated country in the world in terms of hypocrisy and double standards. And here we have more US residents coming to give moral lessons on Iran. The world is really upside down :)
HopeSpringsEternal
War mongers next target is Iran, but for DJT best option's always negotiated compromise. Russia will provide Iran a nuclear umbrella in Lui of WMDs, like Japan & SK with US.
Underworld
bass4funk
They were before Trump ripped it up.
That was back in 2018. What happened after 2018 is on Trump.
bass4funk
What does that have to do with 2015?? No one, told Obama to sneak off and not say anything to congress and not get a viable binding treaty.
lincolnman
What? You think Egypt and Saudi Arabia will let Iran get a nuclear guarantee? You think ultra-right Netanyahu would allow that?
And what mischief would Iran do now knowing it has a nuclear guarantee?
But that's the MAGA answer - it always goes back to Russia - either defending it or allowing it to further its influence...
Underworld
bass4funk
That was back in 2018. What happened after 2018 is on Trump.
Nothing.
And yet he got one anyway. Big win for Obama.
bass4funk
Eeexactly
The deal put too many limitations on IAEA access to Iranian sites, would provide Iran with $150 billion in sanctions relief much of which would surely go funding Iranian proxy groups in the Middle East, and offered too few concessions from Iran, but yeah, the libs will think a skunk as a gift is a good deal.
Underworld
bass4funk
Nothing.
Exxxactly!
And yet he got one anyway. Big win for Obama.
Better that no access to Iranian sites
Only if Iran kept its side of the deal, they get Iranian foreign assets back.
It was a hell of a lot better than no deal.