Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran’s regime, accused supporters of direct talks with the United States and insisted that “the essence of the matter is America’s hostility,” which, he said, is “unsolvable” through measures like direct negotiations.
On Sunday, August 24, in a meeting with a group of regime supporters, Khamenei described those who believe “the reason for America’s anger and hostility” lies in “the slogans of the Iranian people,” including advocates of direct negotiations, as “superficial.” He stressed: “The essence of the matter is not this, and in light of America’s real objective in its hostility toward Iran, these issues are unsolvable.”
Khamenei accused the United States of acting “to bring the Iranian nation to its knees and make it obedient,” calling it “an insult to Iranians.” He added: “The nation is deeply offended by such an ugly expectation and will stand firmly against it.”
On August 6, Abbas Araghchi, the foreign minister of Iran’s regime, said regarding the possibility of resuming talks with the United States that there was no final agreement yet, but messages had been exchanged, and the continuation of talks depends on the regime’s interests.
On August 20, in a video interview with IRNA, the state-run news agency, he also said: “We have not yet reached the point of maturity in negotiations to the extent of effective talks with America.”
Before the 12-day war, five rounds of nuclear negotiations were held between Tehran and Washington, but the talks reached a deadlock as Iranian regime officials insisted on continuing uranium enrichment inside Iran.
At the beginning of Donald Trump’s second presidential term, Khamenei described negotiations with the United States as “dishonorable and unwise,” and earlier, during Trump’s first term, he had pledged a policy of “no war, no negotiations.”
However, Hassan Rouhani, the former president of Iran’s regime, said in mid-March 2025 during a meeting with his former cabinet members that while describing the situation in the country as “critical,” Khamenei is not fundamentally opposed to negotiations. Instead, he said, Khamenei’s stance depends on timing, meaning he may oppose negotiations today but in a few months under different conditions might agree to talks with the United States.
