Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has dismissed U.S. President Donald Trump’s renewed proposal for nuclear negotiations, criticizing Washington’s stance as coercive and manipulative. His remarks come after a series of indirect talks between Tehran and Washington ended following a 12-day U.S.-Israeli air campaign that targeted Iranian nuclear facilities.
“Trump says he is a dealmaker, but if a deal is accompanied by coercion and its outcome is predetermined, it is not a deal but bullying,” Khamenei stated via state media. He accused the United States of attempting to impose its will on Iran through military pressure and political rhetoric rather than genuine diplomacy.
Last week, President Trump told Israel’s parliament that the U.S. could pursue a “peace deal” with Tehran, following a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. However, Khamenei ridiculed Trump’s claims that American and Israeli forces had destroyed Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, saying, “The U.S. president proudly says they bombed and destroyed Iran’s nuclear industry. Very well, keep dreaming!”
Khamenei further criticized Washington’s interference, declaring, “What does it have to do with America whether Iran has nuclear facilities or not? These interventions are inappropriate, wrong, and coercive.”
Western powers continue to accuse Iran of secretly pursuing nuclear weapons by enriching uranium, while Tehran insists its nuclear program is intended solely for peaceful energy purposes. The renewed tension underscores the fragile state of U.S.-Iran relations and the growing regional instability following recent military escalations.
As global attention turns to the Middle East, Khamenei’s defiant stance signals Tehran’s refusal to yield to Western pressure, setting the stage for a new phase of confrontation over Iran’s nuclear ambitions.