- Khamenei presents conditions for resuming cooperation with the United States.
- Says the US must completely abandon support for Israel for negotiations.
- Iran’s FM says they are only ready for talks on nuclear program.
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said on Monday that Tehran would consider cooperation with the United States only if it changed its policy in the region, including supporting Israel.
“If they completely abandon support for the Zionist regime, withdraw their military bases from here [the region]and refrain from interfering in this region, so that [cooperation] can be considered,” Khamenei said.
“America’s arrogant nature accepts nothing but submission.”
In mid-June, Israel launched an unprecedented bombing campaign against Iran, sparking a war in which the United States briefly joined in attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities.
The 12-day war with Israel, which prompted an Iranian response with missile and drone strikes, derailed nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington that had begun in April.
A ceasefire between Iran and Israel has been in place since 24 June.
“If the country becomes strong and the enemy realizes that confrontation with this strong nation will not bring profit but will bring losses, the country will definitely gain immunity,” Khamenei added.
Iran has been hit by years of international sanctions, especially after the US pulled out of a nuclear deal in 2018 and reimposed sanctions.
In September, the UN reimposed sanctions under the so-called “snapback” mechanism after Britain, France and Germany triggered the process.
On Sunday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in an interview with Al Jazeera that Tehran remained “ready to enter into negotiations” with Washington, but only on its nuclear program, ruling out any talk of its missile capabilities.
He added that talks could resume “when the Americans are ready to negotiate on an equal footing and based on mutual interests. Apparently, they are not in a hurry. Neither are we.”
