Iran willing to talk with US “as equals” amid Trump’s threats
Iranians attend a rally marking Al-Quds Day (Jerusalem), a commemorative day held annually on the last Friday of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, in Tehran, on March 28, 2025. (AFP Photo)
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian indicated Saturday that Iran is willing to engage in dialogue with the United States, but only as equals and not under threat of military action.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran wants dialogue on equal footing,” Pezeshkian said during a meeting, according to the presidency’s website.
His comments follow recent statements by U.S. President Donald Trump, who threatened military action against Iran if diplomatic efforts regarding its nuclear program fail. Trump had expressed preference for direct negotiations with Iran just days earlier.
“I think it goes faster and you understand the other side a lot better than if you go through intermediaries,” Trump said Thursday.
Pezeshkian questioned the contradictory approach from Washington: “If you want negotiations, then what is the point of threatening?”
“Today, America is not only humiliating Iran, but also the world,” Pezeshkian added, apparently referencing recent Trump administration policies including new import tariffs.
Iran signals military readiness as diplomatic tensions rise
The standoff over Iran’s nuclear activities has spanned decades, with Western nations led by the United States accusing Tehran of pursuing nuclear weapons. Iran has consistently denied these allegations, maintaining its nuclear program exists solely for civilian purposes.
Meanwhile, tensions appear to be escalating on the military front. Hossein Salami, head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, stated Saturday that while Iran would not initiate conflict, it was prepared for war.
“We are not worried about war at all. We will not be the initiators of war, but we are ready for any war,” Salami said, according to the official IRNA news agency.
Nuclear deal’s collapse and its aftermath
The current tensions follow the complex history of the 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Under this agreement, Iran received sanctions relief in exchange for restrictions on its nuclear activities. The deal was negotiated with the permanent members of the UN Security Council—the United States, France, China, Russia, and the United Kingdom—plus Germany.
Trump withdrew the United States from the agreement during his first term in 2018 and reimposed sanctions. In response, Iran gradually rolled back its commitments and accelerated its nuclear program.
Further complicating matters, Ali Larijani, a close adviser to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, warned on Monday that while Iran does not seek nuclear weapons, it would “have no choice but to do so” if attacked.
