Khamenei: Iran Will Not Negotiate Under U.S. ‘Bully’ Pressure

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared on Saturday that Tehran will not engage in negotiations under U.S. pressure, rejecting what he described as Washington’s bullying tactics. His remarks came a day after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened military action and claimed to have sent a letter to Iran’s leadership seeking a new nuclear agreement.

Speaking at a meeting with senior Iranian officials, Khamenei asserted that the U.S. does not seek genuine solutions through negotiations but rather aims to impose its will.

“The insistence of some bully governments on negotiations is not to resolve issues but to dominate and impose their own expectations,” he stated.

Khamenei dismissed Washington’s diplomatic overtures, emphasizing that Iran would not accept any deal that compromises its sovereignty.

Trump’s Maximum Pressure Strategy

In an interview with Fox Business, Trump reiterated his approach, stating:

“There are two ways Iran can be handled: you make a deal or militarily.”

Since returning to office, Trump has reinstated his “maximum pressure” campaign, a policy aimed at isolating Iran economically and reducing its oil exports to zero. This approach mirrors his first-term strategy (2017-2021), during which he withdrew the U.S. from the 2015 nuclear deal—formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)—and reimpose sanctions.

Following the U.S. withdrawal in 2018, Iran breached and exceeded JCPOA limits, significantly accelerating uranium enrichment.