Exclusive; White House Reaction to Khamenei's Remarks: Iran's Government is in Its Weakest Position

The spokesperson for the U.S. National Security Council responded to Ali Khamenei's remarks on Friday, stating: "As Donald Trump, the President of the United States, has repeatedly said, he is committed to ensuring that the Iranian government never acquires nuclear weapons." Brian Hughes also added in response to a Voice of America reporter: "Thanks to Israel's actions last year, the Iranian government is in its weakest position in recent years." Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, claimed on Friday, February 8, that "negotiating with America will not solve the country's problems." Previously, Donald Trump, the President of the United States, stated that he would like to have a verified peace agreement with the Iranian government. Khamenei claimed that the "fruitless experience of about two years of negotiations with America" in the 1990s did not mention the continuation of Iran's nuclear program and the adventurous policies of the Islamic Republic. In his remarks, which were made to a group of officers from the Islamic Republic's Air Force, he discussed the "exceptionality of America in negotiations," saying: "Some (inside Iran) pretend that if we sit at the negotiating table, such and such problem will be solved," but "negotiating with America has no effect on solving the country's problems." He referred to Trump's action during his first term in office in withdrawing from the JCPOA, adding: "Negotiating with such an irrational, unwise, and dishonorable government is not wise and should not be done." Khamenei had previously hinted at a potential negotiation between Tehran and Washington, stating: "We must be careful about who we are facing and who we are dealing with and talking to." Mohammad Javad Zarif, the former Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic, recently wrote in an article in Foreign Affairs that "an agreement can be reached with the Trump administration." Axios news site also reported a few days ago, citing European diplomats, that the Islamic Republic has clearly expressed interest in starting negotiations aimed at achieving a new and different nuclear agreement from the JCPOA and has stated that it is waiting for a proposal and plan from the United States. Khamenei's remarks on Friday came at a time when Donald Trump, the President of the United States, said on Wednesday, February 6, that he would like to have a verified peace agreement with the Iranian government. In a message on the social media platform Truth Social, he emphasized: "I want Iran to be a great and successful country, but one that should not have nuclear weapons," adding: "Reports claiming that the United States, in cooperation with Israel, intends to bring Iran to its knees are greatly exaggerated." Trump also suggested that instead of military action, a new nuclear agreement should be signed with the Iranian government, adding: "I would prefer to have a peaceful and verifiable nuclear agreement that allows Iran to grow and flourish peacefully." He emphasized the need to start immediate negotiations and proposed holding a large regional celebration after the agreement is signed. Trump added: "We must work on this immediately, and when the agreement is signed, we will hold a big Middle Eastern celebration. God bless the Middle East!" The new message from the U.S. President was released a day after his statements in a meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister and the signing of a new order to impose "maximum pressure" on the Islamic Republic.