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White House National Security Council Responds to Behdar: Two Options Remain, Military or Agreement

Jul 20, 2026 July 20, 2026 2 min read 📰 VOA Persian
📋 Key Takeaway

The White House National Security Council reiterated that the U.S. has two options for dealing with Iran: military action or negotiation. This comes after Iranian officials, including President Masoud Behdar and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, rejected any negotiations with the U.S. amid worsening economic conditions in Iran. The situation highlights the ongoing tensions and the implications for U.S.-Iran relations.

🔍 Quick Context Guide
💡 Bottom Line: The U.S. maintains a hardline stance on Iran, emphasizing military or negotiation as the only options.

👥 Key Players

Donald Trump QUOTED
President of the United States
"'President Trump clearly stated that there are two ways to deal with Iran: military or through agreement.'"
Ali Khamenei (علی خامنه‌ای) QUOTED
Supreme Leader of Iran
"'the goal of the American side regarding potential negotiations is to 'set new expectations.''"
Masoud Behdar QUOTED
Iranian official
"'we are not coming at all,' rejecting negotiations under these conditions."
Brian Hughes QUOTED
White House National Security Council spokesperson
"'President Trump clearly stated that there are two ways to deal with Iran: military or through agreement.'"
U.S. State Department QUOTED
U.S. government body
"'the U.S. President has explicitly declared his commitment to preventing the Iranian regime from acquiring nuclear weapons.'"

⚡ Actions

White House National Security Council ANNOUNCE Iran
"'President Trump clearly stated that there are two ways to deal with Iran: military or through agreement.'"
Confidence: 90%
Masoud Behdar REJECT U.S. negotiations
"'we are not coming at all,' rejecting negotiations under these conditions."
Confidence: 90%
U.S. State Department COMMIT Iran
"'the U.S. President has explicitly declared his commitment to preventing the Iranian regime from acquiring nuclear weapons.'"
Confidence: 90%

📰 What Happened

White House NSC states Iran faces military action or agreement after Khamenei's rejection of negotiations.

  • White House National Security Council announce Iran
  • Masoud Behdar reject U.S. negotiations
  • U.S. State Department commit Iran

💡 Why It Matters

🇮🇷 For Iran: Because the Iranian regime is facing increasing pressure and economic challenges.
🌍 Regional: Because it affects regional stability and security dynamics.
🌐 International: Because it influences U.S. foreign policy and international relations regarding nuclear proliferation.

📚 Background

The U.S. maintains a hardline stance on Iran, emphasizing military or negotiation as the only options.

📝 Key Evidence

"'President Trump clearly stated that there are two ways to deal with Iran: military or through agreement.'"
→ U.S. stance on Iran's negotiations and military options.
"'we are not coming at all,' rejecting negotiations under these conditions."
→ Iran's refusal to negotiate under current U.S. conditions.
"'the goal of the American side regarding potential negotiations is to 'set new expectations.''"
→ Iran's perspective on U.S. negotiation tactics.
📡 Source: STATE MEDIA
📊 Confidence: 80%
VOA Persian is a U.S. government-funded media outlet, potentially biased against Iranian officials.

Following the remarks of the President of the Islamic Republic in response to the U.S. President's invitation for negotiation and agreement, the spokesperson for the White House National Security Council told the Persian section of Voice of America that Trump's position remains the same: negotiation or war. Masoud Behdar previously on Tuesday, March 12, implicitly referring to Donald Trump's letter to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, deemed his remarks in this regard as threatening and stated that 'we are not coming at all,' rejecting negotiations under these conditions. The White House National Security Council spokesperson reiterated to Voice of America that 'President Trump clearly stated that there are two ways to deal with Iran: military or through agreement. We hope the Iranian regime prioritizes its people and best interests over terrorism.' Brian Hughes gave the same response to recent remarks by Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic. Last Saturday, Khamenei, in a meeting with several government officials, claimed that the goal of the American side regarding potential negotiations is to 'set new expectations,' which 'will definitely not be met by [the Islamic Republic] Iran.' A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department also reacted to Khamenei's remarks, stating that the U.S. President has explicitly declared his commitment to preventing the Iranian regime from acquiring nuclear weapons and expressed his readiness to negotiate an agreement. He added, 'If the Iranian regime does not want an agreement, the President (Trump) has clearly stated that Iran will remain under the revived maximum pressure campaign.' Since returning to the White House, Donald Trump has revived the 'maximum pressure' policy and called for a comprehensive agreement with the Islamic Republic. However, Ali Khamenei has declared any negotiations with the U.S. as forbidden. Meanwhile, the economic situation in Iran is worsening daily due to the extensive tensions between the regime and the world and the West.

🌐

Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →

Translation confidence: 85%

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