On this photograph launched by an official web site of the workplace of the Iranian supreme chief, Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks in a ceremony assembly a bunch of officers, in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, March 8, 2025. (Workplace of the Iranian Supreme Chief through AP)
AP/Workplace of the Iranian Supreme Chief
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AP/Workplace of the Iranian Supreme Chief
President Trump mentioned he despatched a letter to Iran’s Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei final week asking that the 2 leaders “negotiate” over the Islamic republic’s nuclear program. On Saturday, the Iranian chief condemned the hassle by unnamed “bullying governments” to make a deal over this system.
Trump mentioned the choice to talks is drive throughout an interview with Fox Information’ Sunday Morning Futures.
“There are two methods Iran may be dealt with, militarily otherwise you make a deal,” Trump mentioned. “I would favor to make a deal, as a result of I am not seeking to damage Iran. They’re nice folks. I do know so many Iranians from this nation.”
The president went on to criticize Iran’s management, however mentioned he is written Iran’s supreme chief personally asking to speak. Khamenei rebuffed the outreach Saturday throughout a gathering with authorities and army officers.
“The insistence of some bullying governments to barter is to not clear up issues, however to impose their very own expectations,” Khamenei mentioned, in line with state media. “The Islamic Republic of Iran will certainly not settle for their expectations.”
Iran’s nuclear program has been the topic of Western scrutiny for practically 20 years. Iran maintains that its nuclear program is for vitality use solely, however the U.S. and its allies say Iran’s program is a entrance for a nuclear weapons bomb.
On Sunday, Iran appeared to open the door to restricted negotiations. Its UN mission posted on X that Iran would focus on the “militarization” of its nuclear program, however the “dismantlement” of its program is a non-starter.
“Ought to the intention be the dismantlement of Iran’s peaceable nuclear program to say that what Obama failed to realize has now been completed, such negotiations won’t ever happen,” Iran’s UN Mission mentioned.
Whereas Iran says its program is for peaceable functions, its officers have not too long ago threatened to create a bomb within the wake of the Israel-Hamas warfare, in line with a recent House resolution by Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla. And weapons-grade uranium manufacturing has elevated, in line with the Associated Press.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., advised Fox Information the deal he desires to achieve with Iran.
“Here is what a great deal appears to be like prefer to me,” Graham, an influential international coverage voice within the Senate, mentioned. “No extra enrichment for Iran. Take all of the extremely enriched uranium out of Iran — I am prepared to purchase it from them and permit them to have nuclear energy the place gasoline rods are offered by Russia or China or some worldwide group.”
Briefly, Graham mentioned he desires to get rid of Iran’s “nuclear functionality to make a bomb.”
Trump summarized his message to Iran’s chief.
“I mentioned, ‘I hope you are going to negotiate, as a result of it may be so much higher for Iran,'” Trump recounted to Fox Information’ Maria Bartiromo. “And I believe they wish to get that letter. The opposite various is, we’ve to do one thing, as a result of you’ll be able to’t allow them to have a nuclear weapon.”
