Iran's president refuses talks, tells Trump 'do whatever the hell you want'

According to Iranian state media, Iranian presidential candidate Masoud Pezeshkian has stated clearly that Iran will not negotiate with the United States under threat. This statement reflects Iran's strong dissatisfaction with the US's pressure tactics.

Presidential candidate Pezeshkian stated forcefully: "We cannot accept them (the United States) dictating and issuing threats. I will not even negotiate with you. Do whatever you want to do." This directly expresses Iran's resistance to the US's high-pressure posture.

Previously, after President Donald Trump revealed that he had sent a letter to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei requesting talks, Iran said on Friday that it was not prepared to negotiate a new nuclear deal with the United States. Khamenei reiterated his view on Saturday, saying that he would not be forced to hold talks with the United States while the US was implementing a "maximum pressure" campaign. This campaign was a hallmark of Trump's first term, when he unilaterally withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Trump said in an interview with Fox News on Friday that the letter was sent on Wednesday. "There are two ways to handle Iran: military, or you make a deal," Trump said. "I'd rather make a deal, because I don't want to hurt Iran. They are great people." He also added, "If we have to do something militarily, it's going to be a terrible thing for them."

Trump stated that he hoped to be able to reach an agreement, reiterating the hard-and-soft diplomatic tactics he has consistently used. He also added: "The other alternative is we have to act, because you can't let them have nuclear weapons." Iran denies that it is developing nuclear weapons, but it has been increasing uranium enrichment levels, especially after the US withdrew from the JCPOA, which invalidated the Obama-era agreement with Iran.

Trump has consistently branded himself as a negotiator, and some of his actions can be interpreted as attempts to increase pressure on Tehran in order to secure a favorable position for the US in negotiations, but so far, Iran has not accepted this strategy. Since Trump's second term, the current administration has indicated a willingness to engage in dialogue with any actor on the world stage, breaking with US tradition.

Most recently, and most controversially, the United States has engaged in direct dialogue with Hamas regarding the fate of American captives in Gaza. Prior to the talks with Hamas, the Trump administration also held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the war in Ukraine. Iran has also entered this list, with the Trump administration repeatedly expressing its willingness to engage in dialogue with Iran, but without finding a recipient in the Islamic Republic.

Reuters reported last Thursday that the Trump administration is considering a plan to intercept and inspect Iranian oil tankers at sea, citing an international agreement aimed at preventing the trafficking of weapons of mass destruction. The Trump administration will use the 2003 Proliferation Security Initiative to try to curb Iranian oil exports, which are Iran's main source of revenue. Previously, former and current US officials have repeatedly revealed to Middle East Eye that the Trump administration will seek to strangle Iran's oil exports. China is the main recipient of Iranian oil, most of which passes through the strategically important Strait of Malacca in Asia.

In January of this year, Reuters reported that the Chinese state-owned enterprise Shandong Port Group had decided to begin blocking tankers sanctioned by the United States. Analysts described the move as a blow to Iran, whose aging shadow fleet ships most of its oil to China.