The letter of the US President with a recipient of the Supreme Religious Leader of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was handed over to Tehran by Anuar Gargas, the diplomatic adviser to the President of the United Arab Emirates, a spokesman for the US State Department said today.
Trump announced last week that he had sent a letter to Hameni, proposing to hold talks on a nuclear deal. He warned that there are two ways of dealing with Iran: “the military or an agreement” that would prevent Tehran from gaining nuclear weapons.
Hameni, who has the last say in terms of state issues, immediately replied that Tehran would not be intimidated by “excessive demands and threats”. Yesterday, Iranian President Massoud Pezkian said that Iran would not negotiate under threats and, addressing Trump, erupted by saying “do whatever you want”.
Gargas met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araki today, according to Iranian media. Ministry spokesman Emili Bayai did not give any further clarifications for the meeting.
The UAE, which is working with the US in the field of security and hosting US forces on their territory, also maintain warm relations with Tehran. Despite the tensions of the past, the commercial and business bonds of the two countries remained strong.
Although he left the possibility of a nuclear deal with Tehran, Trump reinstated the policy of “maximum pressure” he exerted during his first term in order to isolate Iran and reset oil exports.
Trump retired in 2018 from the 2015 nuclear agreement that had been concluded between Iran and the Great Powers, re -imposing sanctions on Tehran, which responded by withdrawing from its nuclear commitments a year later.
