TEHRAN (Web Desk) - Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared that the Islamic Republic will not yield to pressure over its uranium enrichment program and dismissed the prospect of negotiations with the United States as a “dead end.”
In a televised address, Khamenei asserted that the US demand for Iran to halt uranium enrichment was unacceptable. “We did not surrender and we will not,” he said. “We did not and will not yield to pressure in this matter or any other.”
The remarks come as European powers held high-level talks with Iran’s top diplomat, aiming to revive sanctions amid growing concerns over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. However, the meeting, held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, yielded no breakthrough.
Khamenei criticized the US record on the 2015 nuclear deal, which Washington exited in 2018, calling America’s actions deceitful and untrustworthy. “Negotiating with such a party brings no benefit but causes major harm — some of it irreparable,” he said.
European leaders echoed fears about Iran’s nuclear intentions. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said, “Iran must never obtain a nuclear weapon,” but acknowledged that chances for a diplomatic solution were slim.
Iran continues to insist its nuclear program is solely for civilian purposes. Its Foreign Ministry called impending sanctions “unjustified and illegal,” but noted that further consultations with all parties would continue.
Meanwhile, US envoy Steve Witkoff is reportedly exploring indirect communication channels with Iran, although Washington has not officially commented. Former President Donald Trump, speaking at the UN, claimed US strikes “obliterated” Iranian nuclear sites in June, in response to a joint campaign with Israel.
Trump concluded: “The world’s number-one sponsor of terror can never be allowed to possess the most dangerous weapon.”