Iran Supreme Leader rejects US’ talks offer

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday rejected holding negotiations with the United States over a nuclear deal, as a letter was delivered from US President Donald Trump calling for such talks.

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Last week, Trump said he had sent the letter to Khamenei proposing nuclear talks, but also warned that “there are two ways Iran can be handled: militarily, or you make a deal”.

The letter was handed over to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi on Wednesday by Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the president of the United Arab Emirates.

While Araqchi and Gargash were meeting, Khamenei told a group of university students that Trump’s offer for talks was “a deception”, state media reported. “When we know they won’t honour it, what’s the point of negotiating? Therefore, the invitation to negotiate ... is a deception of public opinion,” Khamenei was quoted by state media.