•   Sunday, 27 Apr, 2025
Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian new nuclear deal Ayatollah Ali Khamenei IAEA Donald Trump

'Do whatever the hell you want'; Iran's Prez Masoud Pezeshkian lashes out on Trump over new nuclear deal

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  Poonam Nath

'Do whatever the hell you want'; Iran's Prez Masoud Pezeshkian lashes out on Trump over new nuclear deal

 

Digital Desk: Iranian state media said on Tuesday that President Masoud Pezeshkian stated Iran will not engage with the US while being threatened, asking President Donald Trump to "do whatever the hell you want".

"It is intolerable to us that they (the US) issue directives and make threats. I will not even negotiate with you. "Do whatever the hell you want," Pezeshkian told state media.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's Supreme Leader, warned on Saturday that Tehran would not be coerced into negotiations, a day after Trump said he had sent a letter asking Iran to engage in talks on a new nuclear deal.

While showing openness to a deal with Tehran, Trump has renewed his "maximum pressure" campaign to isolate Iran from the global economy and reduce its oil exports to zero.

In an interview with Fox Business last week, Trump stated, "There are two ways Iran can be handled: militarily, or you make a deal" to prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

Iran has consistently denied intending to develop nuclear weapons. However, the IAEA warns that it is "dramatically" speeding uranium enrichment to up to 60% purity, which is close to the 90% weapons-grade level.

Since 2019, Iran has accelerated its nuclear program, following Trump's sanctions that have severely impacted the Iranian economy and the abandonment of its 2015 nuclear agreement with six international powers.