Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says U.S. threats of army motion ‘unwise’

Iran’s Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks throughout a gathering with Iranian college students in Tehran, Iran, on March 12, 2025.
| Picture Credit score: Reuters

Iran’s supreme chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei mentioned on Wednesday (March 12, 2025) that U.S. threats had been “unwise” after President Donald Trump despatched him a letter urging negotiations and warning of attainable army motion if Tehran refused.

“The U.S. is threatening militarism. For my part, this menace is unwise,” Mr. Khamenei mentioned in a gathering with college students. “Iran is able to retaliating and will certainly inflict a blow.”

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The remarks got here as native media in Iran reported that International Minister Abbas Araghchi had acquired Mr. Trump’s letter, which was delivered by senior United Arab Emirates official Anwar Gargash.

Khamenei, who famous he had not but personally acquired the letter, mentioned its invitation to talks was aimed toward “deceiving the world’s public opinion” by presenting the USA as prepared to barter and Iran as unwilling.

“We sat down and negotiated for a number of years, this identical particular person threw the completed, accomplished and signed settlement off the desk and tore it up,” he added, referring to Washington’s withdrawal from a landmark 2015 nuclear deal throughout Trump’s first time period in workplace, which led to 2021.

Since returning to the White Home in January, Mr. Trump has known as for a brand new nuclear take care of Tehran whereas reinstating his “most stress” sanctions coverage over issues Iran is searching for to develop nuclear weapons.

Tehran denies the allegations.

Iran has formally dominated out direct talks so long as sanctions stay, and on Wednesday, Mr. Khamenei mentioned talks with the U.S. “is not going to raise sanctions… and can make the sanctions knot tighter”.

“Concerning nuclear weapons, it’s mentioned that we are going to not let Iran acquire nuclear weapons. If we needed to make nuclear weapons, America couldn’t cease us,” Mr. Khamenei mentioned.

“The truth that we do not need nuclear weapons and are usually not searching for nuclear weapons is as a result of we ourselves don’t need them.”

Mr. Khamenei, who has remaining say in state issues, mentioned Iran “was not searching for struggle, but when somebody takes motion, our response will probably be decisive and sure”.