TEHRAN (Realist English). Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has categorically rejected U.S. calls for renewed nuclear negotiations, insisting that talks held under the pressure of threats would bring only “serious and possibly irreparable harms” to Iran.
In a televised address on Tuesday, Khamenei said that accepting dialogue with Washington in the current environment would mean “surrendering to intimidation” and setting a precedent for endless demands. “If we were to negotiate under such threats, it would mean that we tremble and surrender whenever threatened,” he said. “That is not negotiation. That is dictation.”
Khamenei stressed that Iran would never relinquish its right to enrich uranium, calling enrichment a “hard-won national achievement.” He noted that Iran now ranks among only ten countries capable of enriching uranium to 60 percent, though he reiterated that Tehran has no intention of pursuing nuclear weapons. “Science cannot be destroyed with bombs, threats, or such things. It continues to exist,” he declared, referencing recent Israeli-American strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
The Iranian leader also described how national unity during the recent 12-day Israeli-American conflict thwarted efforts to destabilize the country. He said foreign adversaries had sought to assassinate commanders and provoke unrest in Tehran, but that the public instead took to the streets against external enemies rather than against the Islamic Republic itself.
Khamenei cautioned that foreign actors are now attempting to portray Iran’s unity as temporary, but insisted that cohesion within the nation remains strong. “The factor of national unity still remains and must be preserved against ongoing efforts to sow discord,” he said.
