Politics Iran's religious leader once again rejects negotiations
Iran's head of state and religious leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has once again rejected negotiations with the West. "Some foreign governments and boorish personalities are pushing for negotiations, but their aim is not to solve problems. Rather, they seek to impose their own will and impose their demands through negotiations," said the 85-year-old, according to the state news agency Irna.
08.03.2025, 20:33
SDA
Khamenei spoke publicly for the first time about possible nuclear negotiations with the West after US President Donald Trump wrote a letter to Iran's supreme leader. However, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated on state television on Saturday evening that Tehran had not yet received the letter.
With regard to the West, Khamenei said: "Their problem is not only the nuclear issue, but rather negotiations are a means for them to make new demands - for example with regard to defense capabilities." However, these would not be accepted.
Nuclear deal from 2015 formally expires in the fall
The dispute over Iran's nuclear program recently came to a head again. During his first term in office, Trump unilaterally withdrew from the Vienna nuclear deal in 2018, which was intended to restrict Iran's nuclear program and lift sanctions in return. Tehran then no longer complied with the conditions of the agreement.
Even if it is not implemented in practice, the agreement will formally expire in October 2025. This would also forfeit the possibility of reintroducing old and strict UN sanctions against Iran without major resistance. Diplomats therefore urged the negotiations to move forward. Israel has repeatedly threatened to bomb Iranian nuclear facilities if a diplomatic solution cannot be found.
