On March 8, 2025, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, made a public statement rejecting negotiations with the United States, framing such talks as succumbing to pressure from a “bullying” nation. His remarks were delivered during a meeting with senior Iranian officials in Tehran, as reported by Iranian state media and covered by multiple international news outlets, including Reuters and Dawn. This statement came just one day after U.S. President Donald Trump announced he had sent a letter to Iran’s top authority proposing a nuclear deal, signaling an openness to dialogue while simultaneously reinstating his “maximum pressure” campaign aimed at isolating Iran economically.