Iran to Progress without Sitting for Talks with US: Leader to Abe

Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has told Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that the Islamic Republic will not hold negotiations with the “dishonest” US president, and will progress despite Washington’s sanctions.

“On what you quoted from the US president, I have no answer to Trump’s message. I tell you my words, but I don’t send him any message, because I believe he does not even deserve an exchange of message.,” the Leader told Abe on Thursday.

“Iran’s problem with the US is not whether they seek regime change in Iran; even if it does, it is not capable of implementing it,” the Leader said.

“In the past forty years, US presidents have tried to destroy the Islamic Republic, but to no avail. He [Trump] would have done that if he could. He’s not lying when he says he does not seek regime change in Iran; indeed, he would have sought it if he could, but he can’t,” he added.

The Leader further pointed to Trump’s remarks about what he called Iran’s bid to develop nuclear weapons, and said, “Trump who talks about nuclear weapons has thousands of warheads in his [country’s] warehouses; he is not qualified to say whether another country should have nukes or not; but we are, because we are against nuclear weapons.”

The Leader questioned Trump’s claim that the US is ready for “honest” talks with Iran, saying, “We don’t believe his words at all. Honest talks are not initiated by a person like Trump; honesty is very rare among US officials.”

“We believe none of our problems would be resolved through negotiation with the US. The Americans have shown the utmost hostility they could towards us, and they’re continuing this path. No free nation would accept negotiation under pressure,” he added.

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