Egypt Daily News – Iran has denied receiving any message from U.S. President Donald Trump, affirming its refusal to engage in any nuclear negotiations as long as American sanctions against it remain in place. This comes amid reports that Trump is attempting to renegotiate with Tehran regarding its rapidly advancing nuclear program.
According to American sources, Trump sent a message to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, offering to negotiate a new nuclear agreement after the United States withdrew from the previous deal during his first term.
In statements to American media, Trump emphasized that he prefers a diplomatic solution over military confrontation but asserted that “the other option will remain on the table to resolve the issue.”
He also noted that he had issued a clear warning to Tehran, stating that refusing to negotiate could lead to military intervention, saying, “I hope you negotiate because the military option would be catastrophic.”
Warnings of a Military Confrontation
The United States and Israel warn that they will not allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon, raising concerns about a potential military escalation, especially as Tehran continues to enrich uranium to levels approaching weapons-grade, a threshold reached only by nations with military nuclear capabilities.
The United Nations has welcomed any diplomatic efforts aimed at de-escalation. Its spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, stated, “Diplomacy remains the best means to ensure the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program,” affirming the organization’s support for any efforts in this regard.
Iran: No Negotiation Under Pressure
For his part, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, said, “We will not engage in any direct negotiations with the United States as long as it continues to impose sanctions and pursue its maximum pressure policy against us.”
The Trump administration had imposed strict sanctions on Iran, targeting its oil and banking sectors as part of a strategy aimed at weakening the Iranian economy and pressuring Tehran into making concessions.
Last August, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, expressed conditional openness to negotiations with the United States, stating that “there is no harm in dealing with the enemy.” However, he later changed his stance, considering dialogue with Washington to be “neither smart, nor wise, nor honorable,” following Trump’s suggestion of a possible resumption of nuclear talks.
It remains unclear whether Khamenei will accept a message from Trump, especially given his previous refusal to engage in direct communication with him.
In 2019, he declined to receive a message that Trump had sent through the late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, stating at the time that he did not see Trump as “a person worthy of exchanging messages with” and would not respond to him.
