“I am not a diplomat. I am a revolutionary and speak frankly, honestly, and firmly. An offer of talks makes sense only when the side [that makes the offer] shows its goodwill,” Imam Khamenei said in a meeting with the officials and commanders of Iran’s Navy on Thursday.
“You (the Americans) point the gun at Iran and say either negotiations or we pull the trigger! You should know that pressure and negotiations don’t go together, and the [Iranian] nation will not be intimidated by such things.”
Imam Khamenei pointed to the remarks by American officials that ‘the ball is now in Iran's court,’ and noted, “The ball is in your court, because you should answer the question of whether speaking of negotiations at the same time as continuing pressure and threats makes any sense at all.”
The Supreme Leader pointed out, however, that, “We, of course, understand their (the Americans’) need for negotiations, because the Middle East policy of the Americans has failed, and in order to compensate for this failure, they need to play a trump card.”
Taking Iran to the negotiating table is the trump card that the US needs, Imam Khamenei noted, adding that the US seeks to tell the world it has good will. “However, no one sees any goodwill.”
Speaking at the 49th annual Munich Security Conference in Germany on February 2, US Vice President Joe Biden said Washington was ready to hold direct talks with Iran over the country’s nuclear energy program.
Elsewhere in his statements, Imam Khamenei highlighted the Iranian nation’s achievements, saying that in the past 34 years, the Iranian people taught other nations that they can and should resist the domination of others.
His Eminence pointed to the enemies’ plots against Iran such as orchestrating a coup, military provocations, hard and soft wars, media onslaughts and sanctions, stressing that the enemies used everything they had to discourage the Iranian nation but failed.
The Supreme Leader said insight and awareness are the secrets of victory over the enemies, underlining that the Iranian nation, through vigilance and insight, recognize the ploys of the US and Zionists.
His Eminence regarded the great movement of the Iranian nation as one which is in the interest of Iran, the Islamic Ummah and humanity.
Imam Khamenei also stressed that the Iranian nation will show a massive turnout in the Sunday rallies marking the victory anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, adding that people’s presence in the rallies will once again foil the enemies’ plots to separate the people from the Establishment.
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