Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that his country would not engage in negotiations with the United States under the threat of coercion, telling President Donald Trump to “do whatever the hell you want,” Iranian state media reported on Tuesday.
“It is unacceptable for us that they (the U.S.) give orders and make threats. I won’t even negotiate with you. Do whatever the hell you want,” Pezeshkian was quoted as saying by state media.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reaffirmed on Saturday that Tehran would not be pressured into negotiations.
His statement came a day after Trump said he had sent a letter urging Iran to enter talks on a new nuclear agreement.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian (Photo: AFP)
While Trump has expressed willingness to reach a deal with Tehran, he has also reinstated his “maximum pressure” strategy, which aims to cut Iran off from the global economy and push its oil exports toward zero.
In an interview last week, Trump stated, “There are two ways Iran can be handled: militarily, or you make a deal” to prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
Iran has consistently denied seeking to develop nuclear weapons. However, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has warned that Tehran is “dramatically” increasing its uranium enrichment, reaching up to 60% purity—close to the 90% threshold required for weapons-grade material.
Iran’s acceleration of its nuclear program began in 2019, a year after then-President Trump withdrew from Tehran’s 2015 nuclear deal with six world powers and reinstated sanctions that have severely impacted Iran’s economy.
