White House reaffirms Trump’s offer of negotiations or military action following Khamenei’s remarks

White House National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes reiterated the choice between negotiations and military action that U.S. President Donald Trump had offered to Iran, following remarks from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who stated that Iran will not be bullied into negotiations.

In an interview with Fox Business, Trump said, “There are two ways Iran can be handled: militarily, or you make a deal” to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

At a meeting with senior Iranian officials, Khamenei said Washington’s aim was to “impose their own expectations,” Iranian state media reported.

“The insistence of some bullying governments on negotiations is not to resolve issues. … Talks for them are a pathway to have new demands, it is not only about Iran’s nuclear issue. … Iran will definitely not accept their expectations,” Khamenei was quoted as saying, without directly mentioning Trump.

While expressing openness to a deal with Tehran, Trump has reinstated a “maximum pressure” campaign that was applied during his first term as president to isolate Iran from the global economy and drive its oil exports to zero.

During his 2017-2021 term, Trump withdrew the United States from a landmark deal between Iran and major powers that had placed strict limits on Tehran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.

In response to U.N. nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi’s statements, Tehran says its nuclear work is solely for peaceful purposes.

Khamenei, who has the last say on Iran’s key policies, said there was “no other way to stand against coercion and bullying”.

“They are bringing up new demands that certainly will not be accepted by Iran, like our defence capabilities, missile range and international influence,” he was quoted as saying.