‘Do whatsoever you want’: President Pezeshkian rejects talks with US under threats
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has sharply rebuked the Trump administration’s maximalist approach toward Iran, declaring that the Islamic Republic is not Ukraine and it will not negotiate with the United States under threats or coercion.
“We must maintain relationships with the world. We do not want to be estranged or quarrel with anyone, but that does not mean we will bow in humiliation before anyone,” Pezeshkian stated during a meeting of the Iran Entrepreneurs Forum in Tehran on Tuesday.
“We may die with honor, but we will never live in disgrace.”
Pezeshkian rejected what he characterized as an ultimatum from Donald Trump, referencing a letter reportedly sent by the US president to Iran.
The letter demanded that Tehran halt its nuclear and missile programs and take other measures in exchange for sanctions relief.
“It is unacceptable for someone to come along and say, ‘Don’t do this, don’t do that, or else.’ I won’t come to negotiate with you. Go do whatsoever you want,” Pezeshkian stated.
He criticized Trump for disrespecting his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, while pressuring him to agree to a deal with Russia.
The Iranian president said Trump’s conduct in his recent meeting with Zelensky at the White House was “truly shameful.”
“If negotiations are conducted with dignity and based on mutual respect and shared interests, we will sit down and talk,” he said. “But the language of threats and coercion is absolutely unacceptable.”
The president underscored the importance of strengthening Iran’s private sector as a means to counteract Western sanctions.
“If we do not sanction ourselves, America or anyone else will not be able to easily sanction us.”
Tensions between Iran and the US have significantly worsened since Trump unilaterally withdrew from the nuclear deal, called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), in 2018.
The JCPOA, reached in 2015, required Iran to implement confidence-building measures to limit its nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.
Following the withdrawal, the Trump administration launched a “maximum pressure” campaign aimed at crippling Iran’s economy through severe sanctions targeting its oil exports, banking sector, and other critical industries.
US officials openly admitted that the policy was designed to weaken Iran economically and politically.
However, it also exacerbated regional tensions and strained relations with America’s European allies, who remained committed to the JCPOA.
In response, Iran gradually reduced its compliance with JCPOA commitments while maintaining that its nuclear program remains peaceful.
The upcoming JCPOA termination day in October 2025 has further heightened tensions, as it could mark a turning point for international restrictions on Iran’s nuclear activities.
Iran has repeatedly stressed its readiness for negotiations on the removal of sanctions, provided they are conducted on equal footing and in a manner that preserves national dignity and sovereignty.
Source:press tv