Iran's Supreme Leader Rejects Possibility of Nuclear Talks with US

Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has rejected the possibility of nuclear talks with the United States, insisting that the talks would not address Iran's problems.

Days ago, US President Donald Trump spoke about reaching an agreement with Iran.

"The truth we need to understand is that talks with America have no impact on solving the country's problems," Khamenei said on Friday during an annual speech to Iranian Air Force officers.

The supreme leader, who is asked about all matters of state, insisted that it would not be "wise or honest" to talk to Washington.

He said this despite Iranian officials having hinted for months that Tehran is open to talks with US President Donald Trump.

Trump himself has called for a new nuclear deal with Iran, saying he wants Iran to "grow and prosper peacefully" as long as it does not possess nuclear weapons.

The Republican president on February 4 revived the "maximum pressure" campaign against Iran, which was a cornerstone of his policy toward the Islamic republic during his first term, although Trump also said he wants to begin work on a "verified nuclear peace agreement."

In 2018, Trump withdrew the United States from a historic nuclear deal between Iran and world powers. He also reinstated sanctions that had been lifted under the terms of that agreement.

Khamenei cited Trump's withdrawal from the nuclear deal as evidence that "talks with America are futile."

The Iranian leader's comments have sparked backlash on social media, with some saying his statements rule out the possibility of talks with the United States.

Others argue that he has not formally banned talks with Trump and that his words should not be taken at face value.

Exactly 12 years ago, during a 2013 speech to air force officers, Khamenei declared that "talks with America will not solve the problems."

As he was giving the speech, Iranian and American officials were preparing for another round of secret talks, which later paved the way for the talks that led to the 2015 nuclear deal./ REL