Reactions to Trump's Letter; Focus on Khamenei's Meeting with 'System Operators'

The statements of the President of the United States regarding Iran's nuclear file and the sending of a letter to Ali Khamenei have sparked initial reactions, and it was announced in Iran that the leader of the Islamic Republic will meet with 'system operators' on Saturday. Donald Trump, in an interview with Fox News, which aired excerpts on Friday, March 8, stated that he is seeking negotiations regarding Iran's nuclear program and has sent a letter to Ali Khamenei. Hours later, he told reporters at the White House that 'very, very soon things will happen' regarding Iran, 'interesting days are ahead,' and 'we have reached the final movements regarding Iran.' The Iranian representation at the United Nations responded to the media by stating, 'We have not received such a letter so far.' Trump mentioned that he sent this letter on Wednesday. Shortly after Trump's remarks, Iranian media reported uniformly that Ali Khamenei would meet with 'the heads of the branches and a group of system operators' on Saturday. However, it was emphasized in this uniform text that this meeting would be held 'according to the routine of past years' but would clarify 'important issues, general policies, and the roadmap of the Islamic Republic.' On Friday, AFP also published an interview with Abbas Araqchi, Iran's Foreign Minister, which is unclear whether it was conducted before or after Trump's statements. Abbas Araqchi, who traveled to Saudi Arabia to participate in an OIC meeting, told AFP, 'As long as the U.S. continues its maximum pressure policy and threats, we will not have any direct negotiations with them.' Although officials of the Islamic Republic have not yet officially reacted to the statements of the U.S. President, media close to the Revolutionary Guards have strongly criticized these remarks. The Tasnim news agency described the letter sent by the U.S. President to the leader of the Islamic Republic as a 'psychological operation' and claimed that the U.S. 'is not seeking an agreement.' The Fars news agency, another media outlet close to the Revolutionary Guards, also reacted to Trump's letter by republishing Khamenei's six-year-old statement that 'a camel dreams of cotton seeds.' Nournews, a media outlet close to the Supreme National Security Council, called Trump's remarks a 'repetitive American show.' Some government media, including the IRIB news agency, also reflected the statements of Ahmad Khatami during Friday prayers in Tehran, where he said, 'Negotiating with the U.S. means humiliation.' Ahmad Khatami also indirectly referred to Masoud Pezeshkian, the President of Iran, stating that 'some were reluctant' to believe the wrongness of negotiating with the U.S., but after Trump's meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House, 'they admitted that negotiating with the U.S. is not worthy of the Iranian nation.' Masoud Pezeshkian stated last week during the impeachment of former Minister of Economy Abdolnaser Hemmati in Parliament that he personally supported negotiations with the U.S. and believed that dialogue with the United States would solve problems, but after Khamenei's prohibition, he abandoned this view. On the other hand, Hesamoddin Ashna, an advisor to the President during Hassan Rouhani's administration, tweeted and later deleted, 'Next Sunday could be an important day in the political history of the Islamic Republic.' He did not provide further explanation. Trump's full interview is set to air next Sunday on Fox News. Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the United Nations also welcomed the possibility of dialogue between Iran and the U.S. Stephane Dujarric, noting that he learned about Trump's letter to Khamenei only through the media, said, 'It is clear that any effort that leads to dialogue to resolve outstanding issues is welcome.' On the other hand, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, the Prime Minister of Qatar, warned that an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities could spark a regional war that would impact U.S. interests throughout the Middle East. The Prime Minister's remarks came in an interview with American host Tucker Carlson shortly after the news of Trump's letter to Iran but were likely recorded earlier. The news of Trump's letter and his remarks about Iran come amid recent speculation about Moscow's efforts to mediate in resolving the Islamic Republic's nuclear file, a topic that Kremlin officials have confirmed. The New York Times wrote about Trump's letter to the leader of the Islamic Republic: 'This letter seems to be President Trump's initial proposal to explore whether Iran's current vulnerability will lead Tehran to agree to negotiate or not.' The newspaper noted that Trump had also expressed a willingness to negotiate with Iran during his previous presidency, emphasizing that this time the circumstances are different. According to the New York Times, the strategic environment has fundamentally changed; for instance, the U.S. Department of Justice has officially accused the Revolutionary Guards of attempting to assassinate Trump last year, with almost all of Iran's air defense systems destroyed due to Israeli attacks, making Iran's nuclear facilities vulnerable to attack, and Iran's proxy groups in the region are not in a position to retaliate against Israel. The New York Times added, 'Some senior Israeli officials have stated that there has never been a better time to eliminate Iran's main nuclear facilities.' Meanwhile, several international media outlets, including the New York Times, have referenced the recent statements of Trump's Treasury Secretary. Scott Busent emphasized that Iran's access to the international financial system, as well as its oil sector and drone production capabilities, will be blocked and shut down, stating, 'If economic security is the same as national security, the Tehran regime will have neither.'