Tehran Friday prayer leader rejects direct US talks, mocks Trump as 'madman'

An editorial warned that the diplomatic process to reach a new nuclear deal is heading toward a “pre-designed dead-end,” accusing Washington of seeking Iran’s total capitulation on nuclear enrichment.

The article came on the eve of the fifth round of negotiations mediated by Oman as Iranian officials expressed growing skepticism over the value of continuing the process.

“The Americans have brought the talks to a dead-end not due to misunderstandings or technical disagreements, but as a direct result of their excessive demands,” Kayhan wrote.

“Their goal is to empty Iran’s hands of nuclear capability and impose their will on a nation that has resisted domination for four decades.”

The remarks echoed comments made earlier this week by Khamenei himself, who publicly rebuked US demands that Iran halt all uranium enrichment and expressed pessimism about the outcome of the diplomatic process.

“We don’t think these talks will succeed, and we don’t know what will happen,” Khamenei said during a speech marking the anniversary of former President Ebrahim Raisi’s death.

Officials from across Iran’s political establishment – including the foreign minister, the parliament, and the first vice president – reiterated that uranium enrichment remains a red line.

Iran is the only non-nuclear weapon state enriching uranium to 60% U-235, a level that causes "serious concern," according to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi.

The IAEA has consistently maintained that there is no credible civilian use for uranium enriched to this level, which is a short technical step from weapons-grade 90% fissile material.

Iran's stockpile of 60% enriched uranium had increased to 275 kg, enough to theoretically make about half a dozen weapons if Iran further enriches the uranium.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told reporters on Wednesday: “Enrichment will continue in Iran, with or without an agreement. If the other side wants more transparency, we’re open to that, but they must lift sanctions in return.”

He added, “If they want to enter into areas of our peaceful nuclear activities and deprive us of what is our right under the NPT, there will be no room for agreement.”

Iran’s parliament also issued a statement declaring it would “never retreat from the nuclear rights of the Iranian people,” accusing the United States of acting as a “criminal regime” with no legitimacy to dictate terms.

Iran’s Foreign Minister issued a formal warning to the United Nations and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) following reports of Israeli plans to strike Iranian nuclear facilities.

In a message posted on X, he said the threats, leaked by US officials, require “immediate and serious condemnation” by both the UN Security Council and the IAEA.

“Threats from the rogue Israeli regime are nothing new,” he wrote. “But the recent leak citing US officials as divulging Israeli plans for an unlawful attack on Iran and its nuclear facilities is alarming and warrants immediate and serious condemnation from the UN Security Council and the IAEA.”

He said he had sent a letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres and IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi urging international bodies to take preventive action.

“In a letter to UNSG Guterres and IAEA DG Grossi, I have called on the international community to take effective preventive measures against the continuation of Israeli threats, which if unchecked, will compel Iran to take special measures in defense of our nuclear facilities and materials,” he said.

Describing the letter as “a serious pre-action warning,” he added: “The nature, content, and extent of our actions will correspond and be proportionate to preventive measures taken by these international bodies in accordance with their statutory duties and obligations.”

He also accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of attempting to sabotage diplomacy while under legal pressure. “Evidently, the Wanted War Criminal Netanyahu—desperate to dictate what the US can and cannot do—spares no effort to derail diplomacy and divert attention from his ICC arrest warrant,” he wrote.

Concluding his message, the Iranian foreign minister said that Tehran “will not hesitate to forcefully respond to any transgression and will stop at nothing to protect its interests and people.”

In a letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the UN Security Council president, and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi, Araghchi cited a recent CNN report that said US intelligence indicates Israel is preparing for possible attacks on Iranian nuclear infrastructure.

“Iran will take all necessary measures to protect and defend its citizens, interests, and facilities against any terrorist or sabotage actions,” Araghchi wrote. “As in the past, we strongly warn the Israeli regime against any adventurism, and Iran will respond decisively to any threats or violations.”

A CNN report this week cited US intelligence officials quoted as saying military movements had been observed suggesting a potential attack on Iran's nuclear facilities in addition to intercepted communications.

Araghchi added that Iran considers the United States responsible for any potential Israeli attack, understanding that any such operation would need the tacit approval of Washington. “In the event of any strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities, the US government will share responsibility,” he said.

Araghchi reiterated Iran's position, in which it maintains that its nuclear program is peaceful and fully under IAEA monitoring, and cited multiple UN and IAEA resolutions prohibiting attacks on civilian nuclear infrastructure.

He warned that, in light of ongoing threats, “the Islamic Republic of Iran will be compelled to adopt special protective measures for its nuclear facilities and materials,” with details to be shared with the IAEA in due course.

Araghchi flags US intel leak on Israeli threats 'alarming'

Following the letter, Araghchi reiterated his message in a post on X, calling it a “serious pre-action warning.”

“Threats from the rogue Israeli regime are nothing new,” he wrote. “But the recent leak citing US officials as divulging Israeli plans for an unlawful attack on Iran and its nuclear facilities is alarming and warrants immediate and serious condemnation from the UN Security Council and the IAEA.”

He added: “The nature, content, and extent of our actions will correspond and be proportionate to preventive measures taken by these international bodies.”

Separately, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned that Israel would face a “devastating and decisive response” if it attacked Iran. “They are trying to frighten us with war but are miscalculating, as they are unaware of the powerful popular and military support the Islamic Republic can muster in war conditions,” Guards spokesperson Alimohammad Naini said, according to state media.

“Our partnership in policing the threats to Iran International has very much been a partnership with Iran International, the government, and lots of other individuals too,” Commander Dominic Murphy, Head of the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command told the Joint Committee on Human Rights on Wednesday in a session focusing on transnational terrorism.

In two separate operations on May 3, eight men including seven Iranians were arrested by the British counter-terrorism police.

On Saturday, three of the Iranian nationals were charged with offences under the National Security Act, accused of acting on behalf of Iran’s intelligence service and carried out surveillance targeting Iran International journalists.

Murphy said that collaboration with the Persian-language news network has been “absolutely critical” in responding to what officials describe as transnational repression linked to the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The police, Murphy added, have worked to understand how such threats impact not only the news organization but the wider Iranian community - which numbers more than 100,000 - across the country.

“We use those local policing contacts to reach into that community to provide reassurance and a two-way communication, so we can understand how concerned they are,” Murphy said.

“Some of the recent examples with Iran International demonstrate that we will take proactive and positive action to keep people safe—and that we can do that in a way that does not compromise any organization, group, or individual.”

Charges under National Security Act

Murphy last week described the charges against the three Iranian nationals as "extremely serious."

“Detectives have been working around the clock, and we have worked closely with colleagues in the CPS to reach this point.”

All three men remain in custody.

The arrests have triggered a sharp diplomatic exchange between London and Tehran. The UK summoned Iran’s ambassador earlier this week, while Iran’s foreign ministry summoned the UK’s chargé d’affaires in protest, calling the charges “unlawful and baseless.”

UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has confirmed Iran was the state actor behind the alleged plot, calling the case a “very serious threat” to national security.

She said the government would soon publish a review into countering modern state-backed repression and explore new tools to sanction or proscribe entities linked to the Iranian state.

“Iran must be held accountable for its actions,” Cooper said.

Pattern of threats

The case marks the latest in a string of incidents involving alleged threats to dissidents and journalists in the UK.

In March 2024, Iran International presenter Pouria Zeraati was stabbed in London. In 2023, a man was convicted under terrorism laws for surveilling the outlet’s previous offices.

UK intelligence agency MI5 has previously said that Iranian state actors were behind at least 20 disrupted plots in the UK since early 2022, including efforts to kidnap or kill perceived opponents of the Islamic Republic.

Despite the risks, Iran International continues to operate out of London, broadcasting 24/7 to a large audience inside Iran via satellite and online platforms.

Commander Murphy added, “We are doing everything in our power to give people confidence in reporting these threats and to ensure we can respond robustly—without compromising the freedoms they represent."

“On many issues, we have achieved a better understanding of each other ... However, disagreements remain in some areas, particularly over uranium enrichment. Until that is resolved, I don’t think we can reach an agreement," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told the Al Sharq news network.

The Oman-mediated talks faced a setback this week after Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei firmly rejected the US demand to end uranium enrichment, the sticking point in the negotiations.

Iran has since expanded its nuclear program. It remains the only non-nuclear weapon state enriching uranium to 60% purity—just a short technical step from the 90% weapons-grade level.According to IAEA figures, Iran now possesses a stockpile of approximately 275 kilograms of 60%-enriched uranium—enough, if further refined, for roughly half a dozen nuclear weapons.

On Tuesday, Khamenei was skeptical about the outcome of the ongoing negotiations. “Saying things like ‘we won’t allow Iran to enrich uranium’ is way out of line,” Khamenei said. “We do not think the talks would yield results now.”

Despite this, Araghchi emphasized that diplomacy remains active and ongoing. “The talks will continue until we reach a result,” he said. “Neither the United States nor the Islamic Republic can unilaterally halt the negotiations.”

Tehran’s strategy to skirt sanctions

Araghchi also addressed the broader strategy behind Iran’s diplomatic and economic posture. Speaking at a regional summit on economic diplomacy in Shiraz on Thursday, he said Iran’s resistance to sanctions—through internal resilience and trade networks—had bolstered its negotiating position.

“The more successful we are at neutralizing sanctions, the more the sanctioning parties will be disappointed—and that will help us in the negotiations,” he said. “If they were certain sanctions would bring us to our knees, they wouldn’t be negotiating with us.”

Araghchi argued that Iran’s ability to withstand pressure was largely due to “the resistance of the Iranian people and the capabilities of our business sector,” which he said prevented sanctions from having a “paralyzing effect.”

However, Iran's currency has been at record lows and over one third of the population is now forced below the poverty line amid the worst economic crisis since the founding of the Islamic Republic with global sanctions levied against Iran not only for its nuclear program but over human rights and its support of Russia's war on Ukraine.

Iranian oil exports reached 2.8 million barrels per day (bpd) in May 2018 and hit a low of just 150,000 bpd in May 2020, before steadily recovering to an average of around 1.65 million bpd so far in 2025, according to analytics firm Kpler. Trump aims to cut the exports to zero. The highest ever exports occurred in 1974 with a peak of 6.02 bpd.

Araghchi further elaborated on the role of the Foreign Ministry in supporting economic resilience, saying it should not be seen as engaging in trade itself, but as a facilitator.

“We do not sell goods or oil at the Foreign Ministry,” he said. “Our job is to open paths, remove obstacles, identify new markets, and connect businesspeople.”

Describing the Ministry’s role as akin to an “icebreaker ship,” he said: “The icebreaker doesn’t carry cargo, but it opens the frozen route so that other ships can pass. Without that route, commercial vessels get stuck.”

Araghchi stressed that bypassing sanctions is a necessary part of Iranian foreign policy. “It’s our responsibility to both lift sanctions and neutralize them,” he said. “Removing obstacles to trade isn’t only about ending sanctions—it’s also about outmaneuvering them.”

As Iran prepares to enter the fifth round of talks, it remains unclear whether the enrichment dispute can be resolved. Both sides continue to hold firm on core issues, with time running short for diplomacy to succeed.

Reports show Israel is preparing for military action against Iran's nuclear facilities if the talks collapse and CNN reported that US President Donald Trump's 60-day deadline to reach an agreement before the threat of military action against Iran becomes a reality, may now have passed.