TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — A top commander in Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guard said Friday that Tehran will not talk with the United States, an Iranian news agency reported — a day after President Donald Trump said he’d like Iranian leaders to “call me.”
The semi-official Tasnim news agency quoted Gen. Yadollah Javani as saying “there will be no negotiations with America.”
The Iranian commander also claimed the U.S. would not dare take military action against Iran but did not elaborate.
The verbal exchange comes as tensions escalate between Washington and Tehran. The Trump administration sent the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and a bomber squadron to the region in response to unspecified threats by Iran against American interests.
And on Wednesday, Iran threatened to renew some nuclear enrichment that had been halted under the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers — a year after Trump pulled America from the accord, saying it does nothing to stop Iran from developing missiles or destabilizing the Middle East.
But in a softer approach, Trump told reporters Thursday at the White House: “What I would like to see with Iran, I would like to see them call me.”
Shortly after Trump spoke, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo issued a written statement that reinforced Trump’s tone. After repeating the administration’s complaints about Iran, including what he called “40 years of killing American soldiers, attacking American facilities and taking American hostages,” Pompeo appealed to “those in Tehran who see a path to a prosperous future” through modifying their government’s behavior.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday gave European leaders a 60-day deadline to find a way to shield Iran from U.S. sanctions targeting its economy and oil industry. Otherwise, he said Tehran would begin to enrich uranium at levels closer to weapons-grade levels.
The following day, the European Union urged Iran to respect the international agreement curbing the Islamic Republic’s nuclear ambitions, and added the bloc aims to continue trading with the country despite U.S. sanctions.
The Europeans insist the pact is an important pillar of regional and global security but have struggled to preserve the increasingly unravelling accord.
Iran’s National Security Council spokesman Keyvan Khosravi was quoted Friday as saying Iran stands firm to withdraw from the deal unless a beneficial agreement can be reached with the EU.
Thousands of Iranians rallied after Friday prayers in support of Iran’s ultimatum, many chanting traditional anti-U.S. slogans of “Death to America” and “Death to Israel.”