Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani (L) and Iranian Ambassador to Lebanon Mojtaba Amani (R) attend a gathering to mark the death anniversary of former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah outside his grave in Beirut, Lebanon, 27 September 2025. EFE-EPA/WAEL HAMZEH/FILE
Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani (L) and Iranian Ambassador to Lebanon Mojtaba Amani (R) attend a gathering to mark the death anniversary of former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah outside his grave in Beirut, Lebanon, 27 September 2025. EFE-EPA/WAEL HAMZEH/FILE

Iran security chief denies readiness to negotiate with US

International Desk, Mar 2 (EFE).- Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said Monday that the Islamic Republic would not negotiate with the United States, after reports suggested Tehran might be open to talks with Washington.

“We will not negotiate with the United States,” Larijani said in a brief post on X.

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The post was in response to a message published by Al Jazeera on X, which cited a report by The Wall Street Journal about a purported Larijani initiative to resume talks with Washington.

Larijani’s statement followed comments by Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi, who said his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, had conveyed Tehran’s willingness to support “any serious effort that contributes to stopping the escalation and restoring stability,” according to Oman News Agency.

Larijani also wrote on X that “the Iranian nation is defending itself,” adding that “Iran’s army did not initiate the invasion.”

“Trump has plunged the region into chaos with false hopes,” he wrote. “With his delusional actions, he has turned his ‘America First’ slogan into ‘Israel First’ and has sacrificed American soldiers to Israel’s thirst for power.”

Iran has continued to come under Israeli bombardment since Sunday, when the United States and Israel coordinated a joint attack that, according to Iranian accounts, killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, along with several senior government officials, and left more than 200 people dead.

Iran, for its part, has also struck Israel as well as U.S.-allied countries in the region that host American military bases, including Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. EFE

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