FLASH NEWS
US threatens possible military response after Iran rejects nuclear talks
2025-03-09 14:28:31 / BOTA
The White House again warned Tehran on Sunday that it would face a military response if it does not agree to a deal on its nuclear program.
A day earlier, Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, rejected the United States' request for talks.
"We hope that the Iranian regime chooses its own best interests and its own people over terror," White House National Security Spokesman Brian Hughes said in a statement on Sunday, echoing statements by President Donald Trump that "if we are forced to intervene militarily, it will be terrible."
In an interview with Fox Business, Trump said: "There are two ways to deal with Iran: militarily, or by making a deal" to prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
"I wrote them a letter, saying, 'I hope you negotiate because if we have to act militarily, it would be terrible,'" Trump said.
"If I were them, I would negotiate a deal. I'm not sure everyone agrees with me, but we can reach a deal that would be as good as a military victory," he added.
"But the time is approaching. Something will happen one way or the other," he stressed.
Portions of the interview aired on March 7, but the full interview will air on March 9, Fox said.
Meanwhile, Ali Khamenei said on March 8 during a speech to a group of Iranian officials - without directly mentioning Trump or the United States - that "their talks are not aimed at solving problems."
"They are made for... 'let's talk about imposing what we want on the other side that is sitting across from us,'" Khamenei said.
"The insistence of some provocative governments on talks is not aimed at resolving issues... Talks for them are a way to present new demands; they are not only about the Iranian nuclear issue... Iran will not meet their expectations," Khamenei was quoted as saying by state media.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on March 8 that Tehran has not yet received any letter from Trump.
"We heard about it [Trump's letter], but we haven't received anything," Araghchi said on state television.
The United States and Israel have long said they will never allow Tehran to obtain nuclear weapons, while Iran continues to enrich uranium to levels close to those used to produce nuclear weapons.
Tehran has insisted that its program is for peaceful purposes only.
During his first term, Trump withdrew the United States from the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers and reimposed sanctions that had been lifted under its terms.
Trump argued that the terms of that deal were not strong enough to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and also accused Tehran of fomenting extremist violence in the region - charges that Iran has denied despite ample evidence.
Last month, Khamenei declared that he was against direct talks with Trump, arguing that he is not trustworthy after abandoning the 2015 deal.
After returning to the White House in January, Trump reinstated the "maximum pressure" campaign — which was the cornerstone of his Iran policy during his first term — with the goal of reducing Iran's oil exports to "zero."
Experts say the United States will likely not be able to completely stop oil sales from Iran, but it will be able to significantly limit them./ REL
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