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Leader dismisses talks with US as ‘sheer loss’
Addressing the nation in a live televised speech, Ayatollah Khamenei said US President Donald Trump would gain political advantage from sitting Iran at the negotiating table and boasting about the feat, but such talks for Tehran “would be sheer loss and offer no benefit” because the Americans tend to “pre-determine the outcome.”
“Negotiating under these conditions means surrender… and destroying the dignity of a nation,” he said, warning that the costs would be severe and “some of these harms are irreversible.”
The Leader said Washington sought dialogue to put an end to Iran’s nuclear activities, emphasizing that such a demand by Trump showed a fundamental misunderstanding of the Iranian nation and was “bigger than the speaker’s mouth.”
Ayatollah Khamenei warned that a proud nation like Iran “would slap the speaker of such words in the mouth,” and would not accept the idea that enrichment should be halted.
The remarks come as US officials press for stricter curbs on Iran’s nuclear and missile programs amid threats by the European powers to revive UN sanctions if Iran does not return to talks.
“We have not surrendered and will not surrender,” Ayatollah Khamenei said, adding that Iran would not bow to pressure to halt uranium enrichment.
He said the US expected Tehran to simply “burn down” its nuclear achievements. "They want us to burn down this great achievement that our nation has paid so much for.”