Iranian officials have firmly rejected the prospect of a meeting between Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and U.S. President Donald Trump, despite recent remarks from Trump suggesting a positive rapport between the two leaders.
Mohsen Rezaei, a military advisor to Khamenei, stated that negotiations between Iran and the United States have reached an impasse, urging Trump to seek a resolution to the current stalemate. Rezaei emphasized that a meeting is not feasible at this stage, asserting, “This will not happen; we are currently at the first stage of negotiations, and Mr. Trump has led the talks into a deadlock.”
This week, Trump expressed his belief that he and Khamenei “seem to get along well” and stated that it would be an “honor” to meet with the Iranian leader.
Rezaei also highlighted that the deadlock in negotiations is largely due to $24 billion in frozen Iranian assets, which are held in various countries. He indicated that Washington has the ability to influence the return of these funds to Iran.
Furthermore, Rezaei warned that if the U.S. were to escalate military operations, Iran would respond by extending the conflict beyond the Persian Gulf, potentially affecting regions from the Strait of Hormuz to the Indian Ocean, as well as the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea.
Iranian officials have categorically dismissed the possibility of a meeting between Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and U.S. President Donald Trump. The rejection follows Trump's comments suggesting a good relationship, while highlighting ongoing tensions over frozen Iranian assets and military threats.