Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi blasts Trump for disrespecting Supreme Leader Khamenei, demanding a change in tone for any nuclear deal. This follows Trump’s earlier post criticizing Khamenei and revealing he halted sanctions relief.
Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, on Friday responded to US President Donald Trump’s criticism of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
In a post on his X account, Araghchi demanded that Trump show respect to Khamenei if he genuinely wants to reach a deal with Iran on its nuclear program.
“The complexity and tenacity of Iranians is famously known in our magnificent carpets, woven through countless hours of hard work and patience. But as a people, our basic premise is very simple and straightforward: we know our worth, value our independence, and never allow anyone else to decide our destiny,” wrote the Iranian Foreign Minister.
“If President Trump is genuine about wanting a deal, he should put aside the disrespectful and unacceptable tone towards Iran’s Supreme Leader, Grand Ayatollah Khamenei, and stop hurting his millions of heartfelt followers,” he added.
He also took a jab at Israel, asserting it had to ask Trump to intervene in the fight against Iran due to Iran’s threatening missiles, while threatening that Iran still has capabilities that it has not yet shown.
“The Great and Powerful Iranian People, who showed the world that the Israeli regime had NO CHOICE but to RUN to ‘Daddy’ to avoid being flattened by our Missiles, do not take kindly to Threats and Insults. If Illusions lead to worse mistakes, Iran will not hesitate to unveil its Real Capabilities, which will certainly END any Delusion about the Power of Iran. Good will begets good will, and respect begets respect,” concluded Araghchi.
The post follows Trump’s lengthy Truth Social post earlier on Friday, in which Trump said Khamenei was lying about a victory against Israel and revealed that he had been working on potential sanctions relief for Iran, which he promptly ceased after Khamenei’s comments.
“Why would the so-called ‘Supreme Leader,’ Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, of the war torn Country of Iran, say so blatantly and foolishly that he won the War with Israel, when he knows his statement is a lie, it is not so,” Trump wrote.
He continued, “As a man of great faith, he is not supposed to lie. His Country was decimated, his three evil Nuclear Sites were OBLITERATED, and I knew EXACTLY where he was sheltered, and would not let Israel, or the U.S. Armed Forces, by far the Greatest and Most Powerful in the World, terminate his life. I SAVED HIM FROM A VERY UGLY AND IGNOMINIOUS DEATH, and he does not have to say, ‘THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TRUMP!'”
Trump stated that he halted a major Israeli aerial assault on Tehran. “In fact, in the final act of the War, I demanded that Israel bring back a very large group of planes, which were heading directly to Tehran, looking for a big day, perhaps the final knockout! Tremendous damage would have ensued, and many Iranians would have been killed. It was going to be the biggest attack of the War, by far.”
The back-and-forth between Araghchi and Trump comes amid speculation on whether Iran will restart talks with the US on its nuclear program.
Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, said this week that the US and Iran are already in the early stages of renewed discussions over Iran’s nuclear program. Trump echoed those sentiments in comments to reporters on Friday.
On Thursday, Araghchi firmly dismissed any suggestions that Iran is preparing to resume nuclear negotiations with the United States in the wake of the recent conflict.
“Some speculations about the resumption of negotiations should not be taken seriously,” the Iranian top diplomat declared, adding, “I would like to state clearly that no agreement, arrangement or conversation has been made to start new negotiations. No plan has been set yet to start negotiations.”
