Teheran refuses to negotiate with 'bullying' powers

TEHERAN — Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said on Saturday certain "bullying" powers' insistence on holding talks with Iran is not aimed at resolving issues but rather at imposing their own expectations.

Khamenei made the remark during a meeting in Teheran with government officials, responding to calls, notably from United States President Donald Trump, for negotiations on Iran's nuclear program, according to footage released by the leader's office.

"Their negotiation is not for resolving issues, but for dominating and imposing what they want on the other side," Khamenei said.

He warned that if the other side refuses to negotiate, those powers will create an uproar, accusing it of "distancing itself from and abandoning the negotiating table".

Iran's nuclear issue is not those powers' sole focus, and "they are raising new expectations, which will definitely not be met by Iran", he said.

Separately, the US rescinded a waiver on Saturday that had allowed Iraq to pay Iran for electricity, as part of Trump's "maximum pressure "campaign against Teheran, a State Department spokesperson said.

The decision to let Iraq's waiver lapse upon its expiration "ensures we do not allow Iran any degree of economic or financial relief", the spokesperson said.

Iraqi government spokesman Bassem al-Awadi said on Saturday that authorities had prepared "for all scenarios" regarding the waiver.

The waiver was introduced in 2018, when Washington reimposed sanctions on Teheran after Trump abandoned a nuclear deal with Iran during his first term in office.

Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has reinstated his "maximum pressure "policy against Iran.

On Friday, Trump said he had written to Iran's supreme leader, urging new talks on the country's nuclear program but warning of possible military action if it refuses.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran had yet to receive any letter from the US president by Saturday.

Strong response

During a meeting of foreign ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation on Saturday, Araghchi stressed that Iran will respond very strongly and in a fully proportionate and balanced manner if it is attacked, Mehr News Agency reported.

Israel is attempting to provoke a war in the region and involve its primary ally, the US, in military conflict with Iran, he said.

Discussing the dangers of a military attack on Iran in an interview with US TV presenter Tucker Carlson on Friday, Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani strongly warned that any attack on Iran's nuclear facilities will have catastrophic consequences for the entire region, The Times of Israel reported.

Mike Gu in Hong Kong contributed to this story.

Agencies - Xinhua