By Ireti Asemota.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei stated on Monday that Tehran would only entertain the possibility of working with the United States if Washington fundamentally altered its regional policies, particularly its backing of Israel.
“If they fully cease supporting the Zionist entity, remove their military installations from the area, and stop meddling in regional affairs, then cooperation could be on the table,” Khamenei declared.
He described the United States’ domineering attitude as one that demands total capitulation.
The comments were made at a student assembly in Tehran commemorating the 1979 seizure of the U.S. embassy, which followed the Islamic Revolution that overthrew the Shah, a U.S.-supported monarch.
In mid-June, Israel initiated a massive aerial assault on Iran, sparking a conflict in which the U.S. participated temporarily by targeting Iranian nuclear facilities.
The 12-day clash with Israel, met by Iranian counterattacks using missiles and drones, disrupted nuclear discussions between Tehran and Washington that had started in April.
A truce between Iran and Israel has held since June 24.
“If the nation grows powerful and the adversary understands that challenging this resilient country brings only defeat, not gain, it will achieve true invulnerability,” Khamenei further noted.
Iran continues to suffer from prolonged global sanctions, intensified after the U.S. exited the nuclear deal in 2018 and reapplied penalties.
In September, the United Nations reactivated sanctions via the “snapback” provision, initiated by the UK, France, and Germany.
On Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Al Jazeera in an interview that Tehran is still “prepared to engage in talks” with Washington, but solely regarding its nuclear activities, excluding any discussion of its missile arsenal.
He emphasized that negotiations could restart “anytime the Americans are willing to talk as equals and on terms of shared benefit. They seem in no rush. Neither are we.”
