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Iranian Supreme Leader: Iran not considering Trump worth to exchange message with

13 June 2019 16:09 (UTC +04:00)

Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei declared on Thursday that Iran will not hold talks with the United States because President Donald Trump is not worth it, APA reports citing IRNA.

"I don't consider Trump worth sending a message to," Ayatollah Khamenei said during the meeting while reiterating that the US president does not deserve exchanging messages with. Iran has no confidence in the US, said the Supreme Leader stressing that Iran will never repeat the unpleasant experience it had during the previous talks within the framework of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with the US. Trump withdrew from the Iran Deal in May 2018. No wise and independent nation accepts negotiations under the pressure, the Supreme Leader stressed.

"We do not doubt your (Shinzo Abe's) sincerity and goodwill. However, regarding what you mentioned about the US president, I do not consider Trump as a person worth exchanging any message with and I have no answer for him, nor will I respond to him in the future. I am going to say is part of our talks with the Japanese Prime Minister. Because we consider Japan a friend of ours. Although, there are some complaints”, Khamenei said.

Quoting the Japanese Prime Minister that Trump told him: "The United States is not after regime change in Iran," the Iranian Leader said: "Our problem with the United States is not about regime change. Because even if they intend to do pursue that, they won’t be able to achieve it; just as previous US presidents tried to destroy the Islamic Republic of Iran during the past 40 years, and failed. What Trump says, that he is not after regime change, is a lie. For, if he could do so, he would. However, he is not capable of doing it.

Khamenei pointed to the process of negotiations with the US that led to the formation of the JCPOA and held: "After the nuclear agreement, the first person to immediately breach the JCPOA was Mr. Obama himself; the same person who had asked for direct talks with Iran and had also sent a mediator." Referring to the remarks made by the Japanese Prime Minister reporting Trump who said “negotiating with the US will help Iran's progress", the Supreme Leader emphasized: "By God’s Grace, we will progress without negotiating with the US and despite the sanctions."

Khamenei welcomed the Japanese Prime Minister’s suggestion for expanding relations between Japan and Iran, and reminded his audience: "Japan is an important country in Asia, and if they are willing to expand relations with Iran, they should prove their sincere willingness, just as some important countries have showed their interest."