Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has criticised US President Donald Trump for issuing contradictory statements about peace while simultaneously threatening Iran with military consequences, questioning Washington’s credibility in ongoing nuclear negotiations.
Speaking at a naval event in Tehran on Saturday, Pezeshkian said, “Which should we believe? On the one hand, he speaks of peace and on the other, he threatens with the most advanced tools of mass killing.” He stressed that while Tehran remains open to continuing talks with the US, it will not be cowed by threats. “We are not seeking war,” he added.
Trump had claimed on Friday that Iran had received a new US proposal regarding its nuclear programme and warned of dire consequences if Tehran failed to respond swiftly. “More importantly, they know they have to move quickly or something bad — something bad’s going to happen,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One.
However, Iran has denied receiving any formal proposal. Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi posted on X that no such offer had been presented, reaffirming Iran’s right to uranium enrichment for peaceful purposes. “There is no scenario in which Iran abandons its hard-earned right to enrichment,” he said.
President Pezeshkian also criticised the narrative portraying Iran as a destabilising force in the region, saying: “Because we refuse to bow to bullying, they say we are a source of instability.”
The fourth round of indirect talks between Iran and the US concluded in Oman last Sunday without a breakthrough. A date for a fifth round has yet to be announced, adding to uncertainty over the future of diplomacy between the two nations.