Iran's top official: We will not negotiate with US after deadly strikes

2026-03-02 - 07:03

Iran's top security official forcefully rejected any possibility of renewed negotiations with the United States on Monday, dismissing media reports suggesting Tehran had sought to restart diplomatic channels. Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, stated unequivocally on social media: "We will not negotiate with the US," directly refuting claims published by Al Jazeera and The Wall Street Journal that he had attempted to resume talks through Omani mediation. Sharp Critique of Trump Larijani launched a blistering attack on President Donald Trump's regional policy, accusing him of transforming the "America First" slogan into "Israel First" through empty illusions. "He is now worried about further losses of American soldiers," Larijani wrote, alleging Trump has "sacrificed American troops for Israel's lust for power" and is "making American soldiers and their families pay the price with new lies." The remarks come as three US service members have been killed and five seriously wounded in the ongoing conflict. Conflict Context The diplomatic rupture follows Saturday's joint US-Israeli military campaign that killed several senior Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Gulf countries, dramatically expanding the conflict's geographic scope. Larijani's statement closes any immediate prospect of diplomatic resolution as hostilities intensify across multiple fronts in the region.