Ayatollah Khamenei Rules Out Talks with US

In an address to a gathering of Iranian people from different provinces of Iran, held in Tehran on Monday, Ayatollah Khamenei said “accurate reasoning and past experiences” prove that negotiations with a “deceitful and bullying regime” like the US could not take place.

Entering talks with the US would only provide such bullying regime with a tool to express its hostility and pursue its objectives more effectively, the Leader warned.

Pointing to the US government’s strategy for negotiations, the Leader said Iran can enter the “dangerous game” of negotiations with the US only when it achieves the desired might in the economic, political and cultural spheres and resist Washington’s strategy of propaganda campaign and pressures.

“But at present, negotiations (with the US) will be certainly detrimental to us and is forbidden,” Ayatollah Khamenei added.  

Denouncing the American officials’ rude comments about war and sanctions on Iran, the Leader emphasized that Iran will neither face a war nor agree to negotiate with the US.

“However, they (Americans) do not propose the issue of war explicitly, but seek to overplay the ‘specter of war’ indirectly in order to intimidate the Iranian nation or the cowards,” the Leader underlined.

“No war will break out, because we, like the past, will never begin a war, and Americans will not launch an attack either, because they know that it would harm them hundred percent,” Ayatollah Khamenei noted.

As regards the US offer for talks with Iran, the Leader said the US government has a formula for negotiations which entails empty promises and requires the other party to make immediate concessions.

During the nuclear negotiations that resulted in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iran has already experienced the US method for talks, which is now being employed for dealing with North Korea, the Leader noted, adding, “They (Americans) easily renege on promises and refuse to fulfill them after negotiations.”

American officials have never minded their language and have ignored political and diplomatic etiquette in their comments, but seem to have become much ruder in recent months, Ayatollah Khamenei deplored, lashing out at the US regime for its brazen support for the Saudi crimes in Yemen and for the blatant separation of children from their migrant parents.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Ayatollah Khamenei pointed to the economic conditions in Iran, saying the internal problems are not wholly caused by the sanctions, but a series of internal issues and mismanagement are also to blame.

Making a reference to the hike in gold coin prices and devaluation of the Iranian money in recent weeks, the Leader said part of the problems are caused by imprudence and mismanagement, irrespective of sanctions.

Reiterating the need for serious fight against corruption, the Leader said the Islamic Republic takes a tough line against corruption without any reservation.

The comments came after US President Donald Trump voiced willingness to meet with Iran’s leadership without preconditions.

“I would certainly meet with Iran if they wanted to meet,” Trump said on July 30. “I do believe that they will probably end up wanting to meet. I'm ready to meet whenever they want to.”

On May 8, Trump pulled his country out of the JCPOA, which was achieved in 2015 after years of negotiations among Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany).

Following the US exit, Iran and the remaining parties launched talks to save the accord.