Diplomatic Crossroads: Trump’s Letter Finally Arrives in Tehran Amid Rising Tensions
After days of conflicting claims—with President Trump stating he sent a letter directly to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and Iranian officials maintaining they had not received it—the letter has arrived in Tehran. Anwar Mohammed Gargash, an advisor to the President of the United Arab Emirates Mohammed bin Zayed, delivered the letter from Trump—addressed to Khamenei—to Abbas Araghchi, the Iranian Foreign Minister. Details of the letter have not yet been fully divulged.
However, Majid Abbasi, a faculty member at Allameh Tabataba’i University, appeared on a special news program in Iran discussing Trump’s letter to Iran and Lavrov’s visit to Tehran. He asserted that the letter sets forth certain preconditions. Specifically, the letter demands that the Islamic Republic of Iran adjust its relations with Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen—countries regarded as central to the axis of resistance—and adhere to prescribed measures.
Abbasi further stated, “While the appropriateness of imposing preconditions for negotiations is a separate matter, this very precondition effectively undermines the letter. If one believes that entering negotiations means respecting the other party’s sovereignty, then such negotiations should naturally be conducted on an equal footing, without any preconditions.
Ali Larijani also commented—without referencing the contents of Trump’s letter—saying: “Trump claims he is the president of peace. Do you really believe him? You’ve broken your commitments, so how can you bring peace to the world? If Trump’s talk of peace carried any real substance, it would mark a significant shift in American history. But it’s hard to imagine anyone taking his words seriously unless he backs them up.” He further added, “The true essence of peace is to create social calm. How does it make sense for someone to wave a banner of peace and then go on to threaten nations?
The letter’s delivery came on the heels of a forceful address by Khamenei, who dismissed the American invitation to negotiate as little more than a ploy to mislead global public opinion. Speaking to a gathering of university students, Khamenei stated that the United States’ withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), not only dismantled a comprehensive agreement but also shattered the fragile trust between the two nations. He argued that engaging in negotiations while under pressure would only serve to intensify sanctions and further isolate Iran.
Khamenei addressed U.S. hints that it could join in strikes on Iran’s nuclear program directly. He condemned America’s reliance on militarism as unwise, emphasizing that war is never a one-sided affair. “Iran is fully capable of mounting a decisive counter strike, and it will certainly do so if provoked,” he declared. Khamenei further warned that any miscalculation or provocative action by American forces or their proxies would ultimately inflict greater harm on the United States, adding that while war is not a desirable outcome, Iran’s response to any act of aggression would be both firm and resolute.
Meanwhile, Iran, China, and Russia held a trilateral meeting in Beijing. Following the meeting, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called for an end to the “illegal and unilateral” sanctions against Iran. Amid growing American pressure on Iran to reach a new nuclear agreement, China expressed its readiness to advance talks between Washington, Moscow, and Tehran. At a press conference held after the meeting, Ma Zhaoshu emphasized, “We stress that diplomatic dialogue based on mutual respect remains the only effective option.”
The meeting was attended by the deputy foreign ministers of Iran and Russia—Kazem Gharib Abadi and Sergey Alexeyevich Ryabkov, respectively. In a joint statement issued by the three countries afterward, they declared that “the relevant parties must work to eliminate the roots of the current situation and abandon pressure tactics such as sanctions, threats, and coercion.” The statement also noted that China and Russia welcomed Iran’s insistence on the peaceful nature of its nuclear program and its full adherence to the obligations outlined in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
Both Iran and Russia commended “China’s constructive role” and its hosting of the Beijing meeting, pledging that close consultations and cooperation among the three nations would continue in the future. Although the focus in Beijing was primarily on Iran’s nuclear negotiations and the lifting of sanctions, the joint statement mentioned that regional and international issues were also on the agenda.
On Friday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Gharib Abadi and outlined China’s five-point perspective on Iran, stating, “Any new agreement must be based on the JCPOA.” China expressed hope that the Beijing meeting would lead to an “early resumption of dialogue and negotiations,” stressing that disputes over Iran’s nuclear program should be resolved diplomatically without resorting to force. Wang Yi also criticized any “hasty intervention” by the UN Security Council, warning that triggering its mechanisms could undermine diplomatic efforts.
Before China’s intervention, Russia—another key global ally of Iran—had already announced its willingness to mediate between Iran and the United States and called for resolving differences through diplomacy. At the same time as the Beijing meeting, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters that “Western sanctions against Iran due to its nuclear program are illegal and must be lifted.” He further defended “Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear energy” and assured that “Moscow will assist Iran in this regard.”
On March 12, an United Nations Security Council meeting was convened following a new report from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which noted a significant increase in Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium. Representatives from six Security Council members in the United States, France, United Kingdom, Greece, Panama and South Korea called for a unified stance against what they termed Iran’s audacious behavior. The U.S. delegate stressed that Iran’s nuclear activities posed a threat to international peace, while the U.K. warned of the potential reactivation of UN sanctions. In turn, Iran’s ambassador decried the meeting as unwarranted interference in Tehran’s ongoing dialogue with the IAEA, accusing European partners of failing to uphold their commitments under the JCPOA.
Adding another layer to the evolving situation, Araghchi emphasized that negotiating under conditions of extreme pressure would leave Iran at a disadvantage. He hinted at a new proposal being discussed through European channels and with the IAEA aimed at resolving outstanding issues. Although deep mutual distrust continues to color relations between the two nations, the cumulative series of diplomatic maneuvers—from the exchange of letters to indirect talks and proposals for trilateral negotiations—reflects a precarious balancing act as Iran navigates calls to negotiate with renewed American pressure.
In a separate development on Thursday, the U.S. Department of Treasury announced that sanctions had been imposed on Mohsen Paknejad, Iran’s Minister of Oil, as well as companies and vessels alleged to be involved in the shipment of Iranian oil. This action is part of the Trump administration’s ongoing effort to increase economic pressure on Iran. According to the U.S. State Department, these ships were used on December 25, 2024, to transport Iranian oil off the coast of Nipa, Indonesia. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated in a press release, “The Iranian government continues to use its oil revenues to further its own interests at the expense of the Iranian people.