Iran's Khamenei Rejects Trump's Demands for a New Nuclear Deal, Decries 'Bullying'
This week, Trump disclosed his intentions to negotiate a new agreement with the Iranian regime, following his withdrawal from a deal established during the Obama administration in his first term.
TroibNews 
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has turned down President Donald Trump’s appeal to negotiate a new nuclear agreement, stating on Saturday that the nation would not yield to “bullying governments.”
Trump disclosed earlier this week that he aimed to establish a new deal with Iran, sharing with Fox News' Maria Bartiromo that he sent a letter to Khamenei, urging an accord to halt the country’s rapidly progressing nuclear weapons program. Additionally, he indicated to reporters on Friday that “we’re down to the final strokes with Iran,” alluding to the potential for armed conflict should Iran fail to comply with his demands.
However, these implied threats appeared not to intimidate Iranian officials. During a meeting with senior Iranian officials, Khamenei remarked that the country would “definitely not” entertain negotiation terms from “bullying governments,” without specifically naming Trump.
Khamenei emphasized, “The insistence of some of the bullying governments for negotiations is not for the purpose of solving problems, rather for the purpose of dominance and to impose their own expectations. The Islamic Republic of Iran will definitely not accept their expectations.”
This response followed Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi's quick dismissal of Trump's proposal, asserting on Friday that Iran would not return to negotiations until the U.S. lifted its “maximum pressure” sanctions policy. Araghchi further mentioned on Saturday that Iran had not yet received Trump's letter.
Under Trump's first term, he withdrew the U.S. from the nuclear deal involving Iran and several other countries, enforcing strict sanctions in a campaign labeled “maximum pressure” that significantly undermined the Iranian economy. Recently, the president reinstated sanctions targeting Iran's oil exports to deplete funding for its nuclear program.
Meanwhile, Iran has intensified its uranium enrichment to levels nearing weapons-grade, which has led the International Atomic Energy Agency to repeatedly issue warnings that Iran is perilously close to achieving nuclear capability.
The White House has not yet provided a response to a request for comment.
Thomas Evans contributed to this report for TROIB News
Trump disclosed earlier this week that he aimed to establish a new deal with Iran, sharing with Fox News' Maria Bartiromo that he sent a letter to Khamenei, urging an accord to halt the country’s rapidly progressing nuclear weapons program. Additionally, he indicated to reporters on Friday that “we’re down to the final strokes with Iran,” alluding to the potential for armed conflict should Iran fail to comply with his demands.
However, these implied threats appeared not to intimidate Iranian officials. During a meeting with senior Iranian officials, Khamenei remarked that the country would “definitely not” entertain negotiation terms from “bullying governments,” without specifically naming Trump.
Khamenei emphasized, “The insistence of some of the bullying governments for negotiations is not for the purpose of solving problems, rather for the purpose of dominance and to impose their own expectations. The Islamic Republic of Iran will definitely not accept their expectations.”
This response followed Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi's quick dismissal of Trump's proposal, asserting on Friday that Iran would not return to negotiations until the U.S. lifted its “maximum pressure” sanctions policy. Araghchi further mentioned on Saturday that Iran had not yet received Trump's letter.
Under Trump's first term, he withdrew the U.S. from the nuclear deal involving Iran and several other countries, enforcing strict sanctions in a campaign labeled “maximum pressure” that significantly undermined the Iranian economy. Recently, the president reinstated sanctions targeting Iran's oil exports to deplete funding for its nuclear program.
Meanwhile, Iran has intensified its uranium enrichment to levels nearing weapons-grade, which has led the International Atomic Energy Agency to repeatedly issue warnings that Iran is perilously close to achieving nuclear capability.
The White House has not yet provided a response to a request for comment.
Thomas Evans contributed to this report for TROIB News
