Tehran won’t bow to bullies but is open to talks, president says

Tehran is open to talks with Washington but will not be bullied into them, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said, sounding a positive note on negotiations even after the country's Supreme Leader rejected the idea this month.

"We never said we won’t talk, but we shouldn’t bow to bullies," Pezeshkian said Thursday.

"Why should someone on the other side of the world make a statement, and we react with fear?" he added, in an apparent reference to US President Donald Trump.

"We are not afraid; we will stay, we will build, and we will build with strength. This is what we believe in."

Iran's ultimate decision-maker Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei this month rejected talks with Trump, calling them "not wise, intelligent or honorable."

In recent weeks, several Iranian officials, including the foreign minister and the government spokesperson, have echoed the position that Iran sees no point in talks while US sanctions remain in full force.

"Iran's position in the nuclear talks is completely clear, and we will not negotiate under pressure and sanctions," Abbas Araghchi said earlier this week. "There is no possibility of direct negotiations between us and the United States as long as maximum pressure is applied in this manner."

However, perspectives within Iran’s establishment vary. Ahmad Bakhshayesh, a member of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, indicated that negotiations were no longer on the table.

Bakhshayeh said Iran’s increased military budget submitted by Pezeshkian to parliament in October reflects a shift away from diplomatic engagement.

The renewed debate follows US President Donald Trump’s decision earlier this month to restore the "maximum pressure" campaign of sanctions on Iran from his first term.

His move revived a hardline strategy aimed at crippling Iran’s economy, particularly its oil exports, which had been severely restricted following Washington’s 2018 withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Trump’s latest directive aims to further reduce Iran’s oil exports, a key source of revenue, to zero.

Tehran cannot be allowed to have a nuclear weapon and must make a deal, Trump has argued. "I would prefer a deal with Tehran to an Israeli attack on their nuclear sites," he said after signing the memorandum that reinstated the sanctions.

Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov recently visited Tehran following high-level discussions between Moscow and Washington in Saudi Arabia.

While the exact details of the discussions remain unclear, some Iranian media outlets have cautioned that Russia may not be a reliable partner and could adjust its stance based on shifting geopolitical priorities, speculating that Lavrov may have made concessions regarding Iran’s position.

While the Trump administration has engaged in talks with Moscow to end the war in Ukraine, it has maintained a hardline approach toward Iran, demanding a reversal of Tehran's nuclear, military and regional policies.

At the same time, Washington has hinted at a shared strategic interest with Moscow in preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

Speaking to independent journalist Catherine Herridge, Senator Marco Rubio said last week, “There are things we could cooperate on geopolitically,” adding, “I’m not sure the Russians are fans of the Iranian regime having nuclear weapons.”