Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday ruled out talks “at any level” with the US amid rising tensions after a strike on Saudi oil facilities, apparently quashing speculation that President Trump would meet with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani at the United Nations next week.
“Iranian officials, at any level, will never talk to American officials … this is part of their policy to put pressure on Iran … their policy of maximum pressure will fail,” state media quoted Khamenei as saying, adding that “All officials in Iran unanimously believe it.”
He said the US is trying to prove that its “maximum pressure” campaign against the Islamic Republic is working, but “in return, we have to prove that the policy is not worth a penny for the Iranian nation.”
Despite the stubborn rhetoric, Khamenei left open the possibility of broader talks between the US and the world powers still participating in the 2015 nuclear deal.
“If America changes its behavior and returns to the nuclear deal, then it can join multilateral talks between Iran and other parties to the deal,” Khamenei said.
Trump withdrew the US last year from the Obama-era deal and reimposed sanctions on the country, but Britain, France, Germany, the European Union, Russia and China remain signed on.
With world leaders gathering in New York next week for the UN General Assembly, there had been conjecture that Trump and Rouhani could get together to discuss the accord and sanctions.
Presidential counselor Kellyanne Conway, speaking on Sunday, said the administration wanted to “keep many options on the table” and suggested that Trump was open to a meeting.
“I’ll allow the president to announce a meeting or a non-meeting,” she told “Fox News Sunday.”
Trump said the investigation was continuing, but it appeared as if Iran carried out the attack on the Saudi oil installations Saturday morning, disrupting the global production of oil.
“Well, it’s looking that way,” he told reporters at the White House on Monday. “We’ll let you know definitively. … That’s being worked out right now.”
At the same time, the Wall Street Journal reported that the US shared intelligence with Saudi Arabia showing the drone and missile attacks were staged in Iran.
Iranian-backed Houthi rebels who are battling Saudi-led coalition forces in Yemen have taken responsibility.
The US rejected their claims and ruled out Iraq’s involvement.
With Post wires