DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — On Sunday, the Iranian president announced that the nation would not engage in direct talks with the U.S. concerning its rapidly developing nuclear program. This marks Tehran’s initial response to a letter from President Donald Trump to Iran’s supreme leader.
President Masoud Pezeshkian indicated that Iran’s response, conveyed through Oman, leaves the door open for indirect discussions with Washington. However, these types of discussions have stalled since Trump unilaterally withdrew the U.S. from the nuclear agreement between Tehran and global powers in 2018 during his first term.
In the subsequent years, regional tensions have escalated into conflicts at sea and on land. The Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza has further complicated matters, with Israel targeting leaders of militant groups within Iran’s “Axis of Resistance.” Currently, as the U.S. intensifies airstrikes against the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, the possibility of military action against Iran’s nuclear program remains a concern.
“We are not opposed to discussions; the problem lies in the broken promises we’ve experienced,” Pezeshkian stated during a televised Cabinet meeting. “They need to demonstrate their ability to establish trust.”
The White House has not yet issued a statement regarding this announcement.
Iran’s position hardens after Trump’s letter
Pezeshkian’s announcement highlights the significant changes in Iran since his election six months ago, where he campaigned on a platform of re-engaging with Western nations.
Since Trump’s election and the resumption of his “maximum pressure” strategy on Tehran, Iran’s currency, the rial, has sharply declined. Pezeshkian had previously been open to discussions until Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei criticized Trump in February, deeming talks with his administration “not intelligent, wise or honorable.” Subsequently, the Iranian president adopted a more assertive stance towards the U.S.
In recent weeks, conflicting signals have emerged from Iran. During Quds Day demonstrations on Friday, videos showed organizers instructing participants to chant “Death to Israel!” rather than the usual “Death to America.”
A video showcasing an underground missile base, released by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, displayed troops stepping on an Israeli flag. Notably, an American flag, commonly seen in such propaganda, was absent.
However, Press TV, the English-language channel of Iranian state television, recently published an article listing U.S. bases in the Middle East, including Camp Thunder Cove on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, as potential targets. The U.S. is believed to be using this base to house stealth B-2 bombers involved in operations in Yemen.
Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf warned on Friday, “The Americans are well aware of their vulnerabilities. Any violation of Iran’s sovereignty would ignite a regional conflict, endangering their bases and allies.”
However, Iran’s two recent direct attacks on Israel using ballistic missiles and drones resulted in minimal damage, while Israel responded by destroying Iranian air defense systems.
Iran’s rejection is the latest in tensions over nuclear program
Trump’s letter was received in Tehran on March 12. Although he announced its existence during a television interview, he provided few details regarding its contents.
“I sent them a letter saying, ‘I hope you’re going to negotiate because if we have to go in militarily, it’s going to be a terrible thing,'” Trump stated in the interview.
This action is reminiscent of Trump’s letters to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during his first term, which led to meetings but failed to achieve any agreements limiting Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons and missile programs.
The last time Trump attempted to send a letter to Khamenei, through the late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2019, the supreme leader dismissed the effort.
Trump’s letter comes as both Israel and the United States have cautioned that they will not allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon, raising concerns about a potential military confrontation as Tehran enriches uranium to near weapons-grade levels of 60% purity.
Iran has consistently claimed that its program is for peaceful purposes, even as its officials increasingly threaten to pursue nuclear weapons. However, a recent report by the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog indicated that Iran has accelerated its production of near weapons-grade uranium.
Iran’s reluctance to engage with Trump is likely also rooted in his decision to order the assassination of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani in a Baghdad drone strike in January 2020. The U.S. has asserted that Iran plotted to assassinate Trump in retaliation prior to his election this November, an accusation Tehran has denied.
—Vahdat reported from Tehran, Iran.
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