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Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has once again ruled out the possibility of engaging in negotiations with the United States over the country's nuclear programme, accusing Washington of consistently violating its commitments.
"The side we're facing [the US] breaks their promises in every matter. They lie, issue military threats, assassinate people, and bomb nuclear facilities. We cannot negotiate and make agreements with such a party," said Khamenei. Earlier on Tuesday, Tehran reaffirmed that it will not directly negotiate with the United States over its nuclear programme, with Khamenei describing talks with the US as "a sheer dead end," even as diplomatic discussions continue on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Al Jazeera reported. The Supreme Leader's remarks, broadcast on Iranian state television, followed Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi's meeting with diplomats from Germany, France, and the United Kingdom, known as the E3, as well as European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. The talks focused on the reimposition of sanctions, scheduled to take effect in the coming days. Resuming negotiations with the US remains a key sticking point. During his UNGA speech, US President Donald Trump had declared that Iran would "never possess a nuclear weapon," describing Tehran as the "world's number one sponsor of terror." "The US has announced the result of the talks in advance," Khamenei said in his address. "The result is the closure of nuclear activities and enrichment. This is not a negotiation. It is a diktat, an imposition." The statement comes shortly after the UN Security Council rejected a resolution to extend sanctions relief for Iran. The E3 have accused Tehran of breaching its nuclear commitments, including amassing a uranium stockpile more than 40 times the level allowed under the 2015 nuclear deal--the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)--from which Trump unilaterally withdrew in 2018, as per Al Jazeera. The JCPOA, originally signed between Iran and world powers including the US, lifted sanctions in exchange for limitations on Iran's nuclear programme. However, Trump's so-called "maximum pressure" policy reimposed sanctions in 2018, a stance largely continued by the Biden administration despite initial opposition. European nations have indicated they may extend the sanctions deadline if Iran resumes direct talks with the US, allows UN nuclear inspectors access to its nuclear sites, and accounts for more than 400 kg of highly enriched uranium monitored by the UN's nuclear watchdog. Tuesday's UNGA-side meeting, however, yielded little progress, with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul noting it "didn't go particularly well." (ANI)
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