Iran criticises 'bullying countries' after Trump letter for nuclear talks

Iran's Supreme Leader has publicly criticized the "bullying" behavior of certain countries, a move interpreted by outside observers as a response to former U.S. President Trump's demands for negotiations regarding its nuclear program. Previously, Trump had sent a letter to Tehran, warning that it could face military action if Iran did not agree to negotiate a nuclear deal. This situation has further heightened tensions between the two nations.

Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, issued a strong response on Saturday, stating that Iran would not negotiate with "bullying governments" that insisted on negotiations. Reports from the UN nuclear watchdog indicate that Iran's nuclear program has developed rapidly in recent years. The Trump administration had been seeking a new agreement with Iran to prevent it from further developing nuclear weapons. Such an agreement has been a point of contention for many years.

Trump had previously stated that he had offered Iran an opportunity to either negotiate or risk its nuclear program being attacked. In an interview with Fox Business, he said, "I wrote them a letter saying I hope they negotiate because if we have to take military action, it's going to be a terrible thing for them." Trump added, "There are two ways to handle Iran—military, or you make a deal. I'd rather make a deal because I don't want to hurt Iran." His statements have added fuel to the already tense situation.

Khamenei responded to Trump's statement during a Ramadan meeting with officials. According to Iranian media reports, Khamenei did not directly name the United States but stated that "some bullying governments insist on demanding negotiations." He said, "Their negotiations are not to solve problems, but to achieve domination. The problem is not just the nuclear issue; they are setting new expectations, and Iran will certainly not meet these expectations." Khamenei's remarks underscore Iran's distrust of Western powers.

The head of the UN nuclear watchdog stated last December that Iran's decision to begin producing more highly enriched uranium was "very worrying." International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi said that Iran was increasing its stockpile of uranium enriched to 60%, a concentration only slightly below the purity needed to make nuclear weapons. Tehran has denied accusations that it is building nuclear weapons, emphasizing that its nuclear program has peaceful purposes. The IAEA continues to monitor Iran's nuclear activities closely.

Iran had previously agreed to limit its nuclear program under the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, signed by the United States, Britain, France, China, Russia, and Germany, in exchange for the lifting of sanctions. However, during his first term, Trump withdrew from the agreement and reinstated sanctions on Iran. Since the collapse of the agreement, Iran has accelerated its nuclear program, speeding up the uranium enrichment process. Analysts say it now possesses a stockpile close to weapons-grade. This has raised concerns about a potential nuclear arms race in the Middle East.

Conflicts in the Middle East over the past year have also exacerbated nuclear tensions. Reportedly, President Trump had indicated that he would allow Israel to strike Iranian nuclear facilities after Israel and Iran exchanged attacks last year due to the wars in Gaza and Lebanon. Iran's air defense systems—used to protect its nuclear facilities—were damaged in Israeli strikes on military targets. Furthermore, the Iranian government is facing economic pressure from Western sanctions, and protests have erupted across the country in recent years due to social and economic discontent. Iran will hold annual joint naval exercises with Russia and China on Monday in the Iranian port of Chabahar. These exercises underscore the growing strategic partnership between the three nations.