Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday accused U.S. President Donald Trump of lying about using American power for peace, calling him “a disgrace” in a nationally televised speech that underscored worsening tensions between Washington and Tehran.
“Trump said he wants to use power for peace; he lied,” Khamenei said. He accused the United States of hypocrisy and violence, adding that American policy in the Middle East was a failed model of military hegemony. “The United States must and will leave,” he said, citing U.S. support for what he described as the “massacring” of Palestinians and others in the region.
The remarks followed Trump’s multi-country tour of the Middle East, where the president visited Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. In Riyadh, Trump addressed a high-level investment forum and said Iranian leaders were “stealing their people’s wealth to fund terror and bloodshed abroad.” He warned that Iran’s oil exports could be reduced to zero and said that “something bad” would happen if Tehran did not accept a U.S. proposal on its nuclear program.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian responded with a more moderate tone. “We believe in negotiation and engage in dialogue, but we’re not afraid of threats,” he said Saturday. He added that Iran would not back down from its “legal rights.”
Talks between the two countries remain stalled. U.S. and Iranian officials concluded a fourth round of informal discussions in Muscat, Oman, earlier this month. While both sides agreed to continue negotiations, no date has been set for the next round. Iranian officials have accused Washington of inconsistency. “They change their tone depending on the audience,” one official said. Diplomats expect the next meeting to be held in Europe, though no timetable has been confirmed.
At the center of the deadlock is Iran’s uranium enrichment program. The United States is calling for a complete halt. Iran argues it has the right to enrich under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, told ABC News the U.S. position was clear. “We cannot allow even one percent of an enrichment capability,” he said. “Everything begins from our standpoint with a deal that does not include enrichment.” Witkoff said the administration had conveyed its position directly to Khamenei through formal letters and diplomatic channels.
Witkoff also said talks could resume in the coming days and that “real positivity” was possible if Iran accepted U.S. terms.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected the remarks. In a post on social media, he wrote, “Enrichment in Iran, however, will continue with or without a deal.” He said Tehran had not received any formal written proposal and accused the U.S. of sending conflicting messages both publicly and privately.
Oman is expected to announce the next round of talks soon.
