Iran’s Supreme leader has criticised “bullying” countries in an apparent response to Donald Trump’s comments that he had sent a letter to Iran demanding negotiations over its nuclear programme.
Trump said on Friday he had warned Tehran in a letter it could face military action unless it agreed to talks for a nuclear deal.
In a furious response on Saturday, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Iran would not negotiate with “bullying governments” insisting on talks.
His regime has rapidly advanced its nuclear programme in recent years, the UN’s monitor says.
Trump has said he wants to strike a new deal with Iran to prevent it from developing its nuclear programme further.
On Friday he said he had offered Iran a chance to negotiate or risk its nuclear programme being targeted.
“I’ve written them a letter, saying I hope you’re going to negotiate because if we have to go in militarily it’s going to be a terrible thing for them,” Trump told Fox Business on Friday.
“There are two ways Iran can be handled – militarily, or you make a deal,” Trump said. “I would prefer to make a deal, because I am not looking to hurt Iran.”
Iran’s Ayatollah appeared to respond to Trump’s statements in a Ramadan meeting with officials on Saturday, reported by local media.
Khamenei did not name the US but said “some bully governments insist on negotiations.”
“Their negotiations are not aimed at solving problems, they aim at domination,” he said according to Iranian media.
“The issue is not just the nuclear issue.They are setting new expectations that these new expectations will definitely not be met on the part of Iran.”
In December, the head of the UN nuclear watchdog said Iran’s decision to begin producing significantly more highly enriched uranium was “very worrisome”.
Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said Iran was increasing its stockpile of uranium enriched to 60%, just below the level of purity needed for a nuclear weapon.
Tehran has denied accusation it is building nuclear weapons, emphasising instead that its programme has peaceful aims.
Iran had previously agreed to limits on its nuclear programme under the 2015 Iran nuclear accord, an agreement signed with the US, UK, France, China, Russia and Germany in return for sanctions relief.
But during his first term in office, Trump withdrew the US from the deal and reinstated US sanctions on Iran.
In the years since the collapse of the deal, Iran has accelerated its nuclear programme, accelerating its enrichment of uranium. It now has stocks that are near weapons grade, analysts say.
The conflicts in the Middle East this past year have also heightened nuclear tensions.
President Trump has said he would give Israel the the green light to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities, after Israel and Iran exchanged attacks last year linked to the wars in Gaza and Lebanon. Iran’s air defence systems – which protect its nuclear facilities – were damaged in Israeli strikes on military targets.
Iran’s government is also under economic pressure from Western sanctions and has seen nationwide protests during the past few years over both social and economic grievances.
Iran is due to hold annual joint naval drills with Russia and China on Monday, in the Iranian port of Chabahar.
