Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, declared to Iranian air force officers in Tehran on Friday that engaging in nuclear negotiations with the U.S. administration is unwise, unintelligent, and dishonorable.
Khamenei stated that negotiations with the current U.S. government are unwarranted, although he stopped short of issuing a formal ban on such engagement, according to the Associated Press.
Khamenei’s Friday statement appears to contradict his earlier openness to nuclear talks with the U.S. In August, he suggested that engaging with the U.S., despite being an adversary, held no inherent harm, as reported by the AP.
President Trump proposed a “verified nuclear peace agreement” with Tehran on his Truth Social platform. He simultaneously dismissed reports of impending U.S.-Israeli military action against Iran as greatly exaggerated.
“I would much prefer a Verified Nuclear Peace Agreement, which will let Iran peacefully grow and prosper. We should start working on it immediately, and have a big Middle East Celebration when it is signed and completed,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
In 2018, during his first term, President Trump withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran Nuclear Deal, citing its inadequacy in curbing Iran’s nuclear development. He characterized the agreement, established during President Obama’s second term, as “one of the worst and most one-sided transactions the United States has ever entered into.”
Days before advocating for a “verified nuclear peace agreement,” Trump issued an executive order intensifying pressure on Iran. He also reportedly warned that any Iranian aggression would result in their “obliteration.”
According to the AP, Khamenei criticized the U.S. for failing to uphold its commitments under the JCPOA. He highlighted Trump’s withdrawal from the agreement, stating that it was unilaterally abandoned.
“We negotiated, we gave concessions, we compromised— but we did not achieve the results we aimed for.”
Iran has maintained for years that its nuclear program serves civilian purposes. However, it has enriched uranium to 60% purity, approximately 90% of the level needed for weapons-grade material.
International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi expressed regret in December 2024 over the lack of an ongoing diplomatic process to de-escalate tensions.
In addition to his comments on Iran, President Trump garnered international attention by proposing U.S. control of Gaza amidst the Israel-Hamas conflict. Khamenei implicitly alluded to these remarks without direct mention.
“The Americans sit, redrawing the map of the world — but only on paper, as it has no basis in reality,” Khamenei told air force officers, according to the AP. “They make statements about us, express opinions and issue threats. If they threaten us, we will threaten them in return. If they act on their threats, we will act on ours. If they violate the security of our nation, we will, without a doubt, respond in kind.”