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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has dismissed the likelihood of a meeting between the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and US President Donald Trump, minimising earlier assertions made by the American leader regarding a potential meeting.
During a media interview, Araghchi categorised any potential discussions between the two leaders as unrealistic. "I saw a report which apparently said that he (Trump) had stated that he was ready for a meeting or that he wanted to hold a meeting. I think we should be realistic and think and live in the real world," Araghchi stated, according to Al Jazeera. These remarks followed comments from Trump, who claimed that Tehran had consented to halt its pursuit of nuclear weapons while hinting at a possible meeting with Iran's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, down the line if circumstances "work out." When questioned about whether Khamenei was engaged in diplomatic talks with Washington to halt the ongoing conflict, Trump asserted, "He's involved, absolutely. I think they have a lot of respect for him." The US President further noted that he had not yet had "the privilege of meeting" Khamenei. "I'd like to meet him. We probably will meet at some point, depending on how it all works out," Trump added. Furthermore, Trump characterised the military campaign against Iran as a success, maintaining that Tehran's defence capabilities had been significantly diminished. The hostilities, which commenced following joint US-Israeli military strikes on Iran on 28 February, have caused significant volatility in international energy markets. The military action has also faced mounting domestic pushback within the United States, with public opinion surveys indicating restricted electoral support ahead of the congressional elections scheduled for November. (ANI)
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