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| Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejects chance of direct talks with US | Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejects chance of direct talks with US |
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| Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has killed off hopes for early talks with the US by forbidding officials in Tehran from holding bilateral negotiations with Washington. | Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has killed off hopes for early talks with the US by forbidding officials in Tehran from holding bilateral negotiations with Washington. |
| "Negotiating with America will not solve any problems," Khamenei told air force commanders who had gathered on Thursday as part of anniversary celebrations of the 1979 Islamic revolution. | "Negotiating with America will not solve any problems," Khamenei told air force commanders who had gathered on Thursday as part of anniversary celebrations of the 1979 Islamic revolution. |
| "If some people want American rule to be established again in Iran and are turning a blind eye to the country's national interests and independence in order to please Americans, then the nation will confront them," he said, according to his official website. | "If some people want American rule to be established again in Iran and are turning a blind eye to the country's national interests and independence in order to please Americans, then the nation will confront them," he said, according to his official website. |
| The warning came days after the US vice-president, Joe Biden, said Washington would be prepared for direct talks with Iran if Khamenei showed seriousness. | The warning came days after the US vice-president, Joe Biden, said Washington would be prepared for direct talks with Iran if Khamenei showed seriousness. |
| "There is still time, there is still space for diplomacy backed by pressure to succeed. The ball is in the government of Iran's court," Biden said during a security conference in Munich at the weekend. | "There is still time, there is still space for diplomacy backed by pressure to succeed. The ball is in the government of Iran's court," Biden said during a security conference in Munich at the weekend. |
| "But we have also made clear that Iran's leaders need not sentence their people to economic deprivation and international isolation." | "But we have also made clear that Iran's leaders need not sentence their people to economic deprivation and international isolation." |
| Khamenei's warning was a slap in the face for Iran's foreign minister. Ali Akbar Salehi welcomed Biden's comments, according to Iran's state-run Press TV, saying: "I would like to say that these are good signs … We are a rational government and we look into resolving all outstanding international issues through negotiation. | Khamenei's warning was a slap in the face for Iran's foreign minister. Ali Akbar Salehi welcomed Biden's comments, according to Iran's state-run Press TV, saying: "I would like to say that these are good signs … We are a rational government and we look into resolving all outstanding international issues through negotiation. |
| "This is not a forbidden zone. This is not a red line when it comes to holding bilateral talks on particular subjects. Here I mean the nuclear issue. This is not a red line." | "This is not a forbidden zone. This is not a red line when it comes to holding bilateral talks on particular subjects. Here I mean the nuclear issue. This is not a red line." |
| Khamenei made clear in Thursday's speech that talks with the US will not feasible as long as Washington holds on to it carrot-and-stick approach to Tehran, offering talks while imposing its toughest sanctions against the Islamic republic. | Khamenei made clear in Thursday's speech that talks with the US will not feasible as long as Washington holds on to it carrot-and-stick approach to Tehran, offering talks while imposing its toughest sanctions against the Islamic republic. |
| In a direct response to Biden's comments, the ayatollah said: "The ball, in fact, is in your court. Does it make sense to offer negotiations while issuing threats and putting pressure? | In a direct response to Biden's comments, the ayatollah said: "The ball, in fact, is in your court. Does it make sense to offer negotiations while issuing threats and putting pressure? |
| "You are holding a gun against Iran saying you want to talk. The Iranian nation will not be frightened by the threats." | "You are holding a gun against Iran saying you want to talk. The Iranian nation will not be frightened by the threats." |
| He described talk proposals as a "trick", adding: "American policy in the Middle East has been destroyed and Americans now need to play a new card. That card is dragging Iran into negotiations." | He described talk proposals as a "trick", adding: "American policy in the Middle East has been destroyed and Americans now need to play a new card. That card is dragging Iran into negotiations." |
| A public debate has recently been taking place inside Iran over pros and cons of direct talks with the US, with national newspapers publishing articles on the topic and state-run television holding debates. It led to speculations that the Islamic republic was softening up the public opinion and paving grounds for Tehran diplomats to be able to hold face-saving negotiations with "the Great Satan". | A public debate has recently been taking place inside Iran over pros and cons of direct talks with the US, with national newspapers publishing articles on the topic and state-run television holding debates. It led to speculations that the Islamic republic was softening up the public opinion and paving grounds for Tehran diplomats to be able to hold face-saving negotiations with "the Great Satan". |
| Khamenei made clear on Thursday that the times has not come yet, dashing hopes that bilateral talks between Tehran and Washington would help to find a way out for the current stalemate over the Islamic republic's nuclear programme. His remarks will loom over nuclear talks between Iran and the world's major powers that have been scheduled to resume in Almaty, Kazakhstan, later this month after a eight-month hiatus. | Khamenei made clear on Thursday that the times has not come yet, dashing hopes that bilateral talks between Tehran and Washington would help to find a way out for the current stalemate over the Islamic republic's nuclear programme. His remarks will loom over nuclear talks between Iran and the world's major powers that have been scheduled to resume in Almaty, Kazakhstan, later this month after a eight-month hiatus. |
| The UK foreign secretary said that the west will have "an updated and credible offer for Iran". | The UK foreign secretary said that the west will have "an updated and credible offer for Iran". |
| Welcoming confirmation on nuclear talk between Iran and the group P5+1, William Hague said: "We want to work with Iran, in the spirit of mutual respect, on the concrete steps needed to address the international community's serious concerns about its nuclear programme. We will approach the talks in Almaty with an updated and credible offer for Iran. The onus is on Iran to respond seriously and turn its declared willingness to negotiate into concrete action." | Welcoming confirmation on nuclear talk between Iran and the group P5+1, William Hague said: "We want to work with Iran, in the spirit of mutual respect, on the concrete steps needed to address the international community's serious concerns about its nuclear programme. We will approach the talks in Almaty with an updated and credible offer for Iran. The onus is on Iran to respond seriously and turn its declared willingness to negotiate into concrete action." |
| Also , Khamenei reacted to an embarrassing public spat between Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and the speaker of the parliament, Ali Larijani, saying: "Officials need to take into account the national interest and put their squabbles to one side." | Also , Khamenei reacted to an embarrassing public spat between Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and the speaker of the parliament, Ali Larijani, saying: "Officials need to take into account the national interest and put their squabbles to one side." |
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