Iran cleric says talks with the US violate 'national pride'

A senior Iranian cleric on Friday strongly opposed renewed talks with the United States, saying any negotiations—direct or indirect—would undermine Iran’s national pride and repeat decades of failed diplomacy.

“Negotiating with America is against our national pride,” said Ahmad Alamolhoda, the firebrand Friday imam of Mashhad, during his sermon, according to the semi-official Mehr news agency. “No Iranian with self-respect would accept to approach the US empty-handed.”

He added that US demands—ranging from dismantling Iran’s missile program to limiting its regional influence—amounted to surrender. “They want us to give up everything: our weapons, our science, even our pride. No honorable Iranian would accept that.”

Calling on Iran’s negotiators to resist pressure, Alamolhoda warned: “Direct talks are worse than indirect ones. We’ve been here before—and it always ends badly.”