Following the letter that President Trump reportedly sent around March 7 calling for negotiations, Supreme Leader Khamenei made a statement asserting that Iran would not negotiate with “bully governments” pushing for talks.
Khamenei further underscored, in his response, that for the U.S., “negotiation is a means to introduce new demands.” He continued that “the issue is not just about nuclear matters, they raise new expectations that Iran will certainly not accept,” referencing potential U.S. targeting of Iran’s defense systems and wider proxy efforts across the region.