Iranian President rejects direct talks with US over nuclear program

WASHINGTON, D.C. / TEHRAN — Following US President Donald Trump’s letter to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warning of potential military strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites if Tehran refuses to negotiate a new peace agreement, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian rejected direct negotiations with Washington over Iran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program.

Pezeshkian stated that Iran’s response, delivered through Oman, left the door open for indirect talks but emphasized that the US must first prove its trustworthiness.

“Iran does not avoid dialogue, but broken promises have caused the problems,” he said. “The US must demonstrate its ability to build trust.”

The US State Department responded firmly, asserting that Trump’s stance was clear: The US cannot allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon.

In a comment aired Sunday by NBC News, President Trump said, “If they don’t make a deal, there will be bombing and it will be bombing the likes of which they have never seen before.”

Tensions have continued to escalate as a senior Iranian military official warned that Iran would target the US-UK joint military base on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean if the US launch any strikes. The official confirmed threats previously issued by Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, stating that US and UK forces would be treated equally if an attack originated from any regional base within Iran’s missile range.

“When the time comes, it won’t matter if you’re a US, British, or Turkish soldier. If the US uses your base, you will be a target,” the official stated, adding that Iran possesses sufficient weaponry for such retaliatory strikes.

The threats followed the US military’s deployment of four nuclear-capable B-2 stealth bombers to Diego Garcia, fueling speculation about potential strikes against Iran.