Tehran (TDI): Iran has denied receiving a letter from US President Donald Trump, who claimed to have sent a message urging the country’s leadership to enter talks over its nuclear program.
The Iranian government has dismissed the prospect of negotiations, citing Washington’s ongoing sanctions as a major obstacle.
On Friday, an Iranian embassy spokesman confirmed that Tehran had not received any letter from the US president.
This comes after Trump said in a recent interview that he had sent a letter to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, seeking to resume talks over a new agreement to address Iran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program.
“I have written them a letter stating, ‘I hope you are going to talks because if we have to go in militarily, it’s going to be a terrible thing,’” Trump said in the interview, which was broadcast by Fox Business News.
Trump said that he hoped for a diplomatic solution but threatened that military action would be a consequence if negotiations failed.
The White House confirmed President Trump’s claims, stating that he had sent a letter in the hopes of discussing an agreement similar to the one struck under the Obama administration in 2015.
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However, Iran’s stance remains firm, with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejecting any possibility of talks while US sanctions remain in place.
“We will not enter any direct talks with Washington so long as they continue their maximum pressure policy and their threats,” Araghchi said.
Since Trump took office, his administration has reimposed heavy sanctions on Tehran, including restrictions on its oil sector.
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The “maximum pressure” strategy aims to force Iran into diplomatic submission, but Tehran maintains that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, despite concerns from the global community over its potential to develop weapons-grade uranium.
