UN Welcomes Trump's Letter to Khamenei: Diplomacy is the Best Option

On Friday, March 8, the spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General commented on Donald Trump's letter to the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei, stating, "Diplomacy remains the best option to ensure the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program." Stephane Dujarric referred to Trump's letter regarding nuclear negotiations, emphasizing that "as a principle, we stress that diplomacy is the best way to ensure the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program." He added, "We welcome all diplomatic efforts towards this goal." Previously, the US President announced on Friday that he sent this letter to Khamenei on Thursday, saying, "I didn't tell them they should negotiate. I said I hope they negotiate because it would be much better for Iran." Donald Trump mentioned at the White House that a significant event regarding Iran would happen soon, stating that "pivotal moments" in relation to Iran have arrived, and "interesting days" are ahead. He also expressed hope that the outcome would be peace, but noted that "the other way will solve the problem too." The US President reiterated that during his first term, Iran was "completely bankrupt" but now has a lot of money. He stated, "We are in the final moments. We cannot allow them to obtain nuclear weapons." Trump added that he believes if he had won the 2020 presidential election, he would have reached an agreement with the Iranian government within a month. He claimed that the Biden administration refrained from enforcing sanctions, allowing the Islamic Republic, which had no money, to accumulate $300 billion in a short time thanks to its abundant oil wells. Trump mentioned that a "very interesting period in world history" is unfolding regarding Iran and that "something will happen very, very soon." He expressed hope for a peace agreement with the Iranian government, preferring it over the "other option" which would solve the problem. The US President also warned that the only options for dealing with the Islamic Republic are "reaching an agreement" or "military action." In an interview with Maria Bartiromo on Fox Business, Trump reiterated his hope for negotiations, stating, "I hope you negotiate because it would be much better for Iran." In response to a question about the type of nuclear agreement he envisions, he reiterated that the only options for the Islamic Republic are "agreement or military action." He emphasized that he prefers to reach an agreement because "I am not looking to harm Iran. They are very good people. I know many Iranians in this country." Trump distinguished between the leaders of the Islamic Republic and the Iranian people, stating that the leaders are "very evil people" and that his reference to "very good people" does not include the leaders of the Iranian government. He noted, "The people of Iran are very good people. But they have a harsh regime. They may be shot in the streets..." He remarked that "if we have to intervene militarily, it will be very terrible for them" and added, "I think the [government leaders] will want to understand the meaning of that letter. The other option is that we have to do something; we cannot allow them to obtain nuclear weapons." While Trump did not rule out the use of military options against the Islamic Republic, he stated he prefers to negotiate for an agreement. He concluded by saying, "I am not sure everyone will agree with me. But we can reach an agreement that is as good as a military victory." The Persian section of Voice of America has contacted the US government for more information about the content of this letter and will inform its audience as soon as a response is received. Since returning to the White House, Trump has revived the maximum pressure policy and called for a comprehensive agreement with the Islamic Republic. However, Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, has declared any negotiations with the US to be forbidden. Now, as negotiations to revive the nuclear agreement have stalled, concerns about the future of the Islamic Republic's nuclear program have increased. With the resumption of the maximum pressure campaign and the increasing isolation of the Islamic Republic in the international economic arena, along with the near-zero oil exports of the Iranian government, efforts are being made to prevent the Islamic Republic from obtaining nuclear weapons. Among the first actions of the US President in the early weeks of his administration were imposing new sanctions against shadow fleets and companies that transport crude oil from sanctioned countries using old tankers.