Fresh tensions have emerged between Iran and the United States after senior Iranian cleric Ahmad Khatami sharply criticized US President Donald Trump over repeated calls for negotiations with Tehran, accusing Washington of seeking Iran’s “surrender” rather than genuine dialogue.

Speaking during Eid al-Adha prayers in Tehran on Wednesday, Khatami said the United States was attempting to pressure Iran into submission under the guise of diplomacy.

“He constantly speaks of negotiations with Iran, but the truth is that what they mean is not negotiation, but surrender,” the senior cleric said in remarks carried by Iranian state-linked media.

Khatami further alleged that Washington’s broader objective was to humiliate Iran politically and strategically, adding that such ambitions would fail.

“The US wants humiliation for Iran, but it will take that wish to the grave,” he declared during the public address attended by worshippers in the Iranian capital.

The remarks come amid continuing tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme, sanctions and regional security issues, which have strained relations between Tehran and Washington for years.

In recent weeks, Donald Trump has publicly spoken about the possibility of renewed engagement with Iran while simultaneously warning Tehran against escalating regional activities and uranium enrichment efforts. The comments have fueled renewed speculation over whether diplomatic channels between the two countries could reopen after years of deadlock.

Relations between the two countries sharply deteriorated after the United States withdrew from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly known as the Iran nuclear deal, during Trump’s earlier presidency. Washington subsequently reimposed sweeping economic sanctions on Tehran, while Iran gradually reduced its compliance with nuclear commitments under the agreement.

Since then, multiple indirect negotiation attempts involving European mediators, Gulf nations and international agencies have failed to produce a comprehensive breakthrough.

Iranian leaders have repeatedly insisted that negotiations cannot take place under what they describe as “pressure and threats” from the United States. Senior officials in Tehran have maintained that sanctions relief and guarantees against future US withdrawal from agreements remain key conditions for any serious diplomatic progress.

The latest comments by Ahmad Khatami also reflect the hardline position within sections of Iran’s political and religious establishment ahead of ongoing regional and geopolitical tensions involving the Middle East, Israel and US military presence in the Gulf region.

Political analysts believe rhetoric from both sides has intensified in recent months amid uncertainty over future nuclear diplomacy and shifting regional alliances.

Despite occasional signals supporting diplomacy, official relations between Iran and the United States remain frozen, with no direct formal negotiations currently underway.

The White House had not immediately responded to Khatami’s latest remarks at the time of publication.

Iranian Cleric | Business Upturn

“This is not negotiation, but surrender”: Senior Iranian cleric targets trump during tehran prayers