Iran says not received Trump’s letter on nuclear programme negotiations

Iranian officials have stated that they have not received a letter from U.S. President Donald Trump regarding negotiations on Iran's nuclear program. This follows Trump's claim that he had sent a letter to Iranian leaders seeking negotiations on a new agreement to limit Iran's rapidly developing nuclear program.

A spokesperson for the Iranian Embassy in the United States stated on Friday, "So far, we have not received such a letter." This statement was made after Trump claimed to have written to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, seeking negotiations on a new agreement to limit Iran's rapidly developing nuclear program.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi dismissed the possibility of nuclear negotiations with the United States while Washington imposes severe sanctions on Tehran. Araqchi told Agence France-Presse, "As long as they continue to pursue the policy of maximum pressure and threats, there will be no direct negotiations with the United States." Since taking office in January, the Trump administration has imposed sanctions on Iran, including those targeting the country's oil network, as part of its "maximum pressure" strategy.

Iranian state media immediately focused on Trump's remarks, which came from portions of a Fox Business News interview broadcast on Friday, but Khamenei's office has not confirmed receipt of any letter. The full interview is expected to air on Sunday. It remains unclear how the 85-year-old Supreme Leader will respond, as former President Barack Obama kept his letters to Khamenei secret before beginning the negotiations that led to the 2015 agreement between Tehran and world powers.

Trump's acknowledgement of the matter comes as both Israel and the United States have warned that they will not allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons, raising concerns about a potential military confrontation as Tehran refines uranium to near-weapons-grade purity, a level typically pursued only by nations seeking nuclear arms. "I sent them a letter saying, 'I hope you negotiate because if we have to take military action, it's going to be a terrible thing,'" Trump said. He later added that he sent the letter "yesterday" in the interview, which was filmed on Thursday. The White House confirmed Trump's remarks, stating that he had written to Iranian leaders seeking negotiations on a nuclear agreement.

"I'd rather negotiate an agreement. I'm not sure that everyone agrees with me, but we can make a deal that's just as good as a military victory," Trump added. "But time is happening. Time is going by. Things are always happening one way or the other." Trump did not elaborate on what specific offers were made to Iran in the letter. U.S. intelligence agencies assess that Iran has not restarted a weapons program but has "conducted activities that would better enable it to produce nuclear devices should it decide to do so."

Since Trump's return to the White House, his administration has stated that it must prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. However, a report released last month by the United Nations' nuclear watchdog stated that Iran has accelerated its production of near-weapons-grade uranium. Iran has long insisted that its program is for peaceful purposes, although its officials have increasingly threatened to pursue nuclear bombs as relations remain highly strained due to U.S. sanctions against it and its fragile ceasefire agreement with Israel in the Gaza Strip against Hamas.