Iran Says It Will Negotiate Only on Fair Terms, Warns Trump Against War
Speaking late Wednesday in an interview, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Iran is not shutting the door on diplomacy, stressing, “We are ready for negotiations,” but quickly adding, “We do not believe this is the kind of dialogue the American president is seeking.”
According to his remarks, Tehran believes Washington has weakened the prospects for diplomacy by resorting to force. Ghalibaf accused the US of effectively dismantling the negotiating process, arguing that it “bombed the negotiating table two days before the sixth round of talks with Iran.”
He underlined that Iran sees no value in talks that fail to deliver concrete gains for its population, saying, “As long as the economic interests of the Iranian people are not guaranteed, there will be no negotiations,” and further asserting, “We do not consider dictation to be negotiation.”
Ghalibaf also warned that conducting talks under the threat of military action would only intensify hostilities, stating, “Negotiations in the shadow of war fuel tensions.”
Continuing his criticism, he said Trump should change course if he seeks international recognition for peace, remarking, “If Trump wants a Nobel Peace Prize, he should distance himself from the warmongers and the advocates of surrender around him.”
The comments came shortly after Trump said a “massive armada” was heading toward Iran and urged Tehran to “come to the table” for discussions. Iranian officials responded by issuing warnings of conflict and retaliation, while reiterating that any negotiations must be based on what they describe as fair terms free from pressure.
Meanwhile, Iran has faced ongoing domestic unrest, with protests erupting since Dec. 28 at Tehran’s Grand Bazaar over the steep fall of the national currency and deteriorating economic conditions, before spreading to other cities.
Authorities have blamed the unrest on external interference, accusing the US and Israel of supporting "armed rioters" as a justification for foreign involvement, and have warned that any American strike would provoke a "swift and comprehensive" response.
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