Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that his country will continue nuclear negotiations with the United States despite threats from former President Donald Trump. Speaking to navy officials in a televised address, Pezeshkian emphasized Iran’s right to develop its nuclear program.
“We are negotiating and will continue to do so. We don’t seek war, but we won’t be intimidated by threats,” he said. “We won’t give up our legitimate rights or our scientific and military achievements.”
Talks have now reached the expert level, with negotiators working on the details of a potential agreement. A major point of contention remains uranium enrichment—something Iran insists it has the right to pursue, while the Trump administration demands it stop.
Trump has warned of possible U.S. airstrikes if a deal isn’t reached. He also confirmed Iran had received a proposal from the U.S., though he gave no specifics. During his recent Middle East tour, Trump repeatedly said Iran must never obtain a nuclear weapon, despite U.S. intelligence assessments that Tehran is not actively pursuing one.
Iran’s atomic chief Mohammad Eslami defended the peaceful intent of the nuclear program, noting it is under constant scrutiny by the U.N. nuclear watchdog. “We had over 450 inspections in 2024 alone—about 25% of the agency’s global inspections,” he said.
Meanwhile, Israel has continued to issue warnings about potentially striking Iranian nuclear sites, further escalating regional tensions already heightened by the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also criticized Trump’s visit to the region. “Trump claims to use power for peace, but he used it for massacres in Gaza and wars wherever he could,” Khamenei said, accusing the U.S. of enabling Israeli attacks with powerful bombs.
He reiterated his long-standing opposition to Israel, calling it a “cancerous tumor” that must be eradicated, and said the U.S.-imposed model of influence over Arab nations is failing. “The U.S. must leave the region, and with the help of regional nations, it will,” Khamenei declared.
The tensions follow the collapse of the 2015 nuclear deal after Trump withdrew the U.S. from the agreement in 2018 and reimposed harsh sanctions on Iran.
