Iran’s top national security official, Ali Larijani, has declared that Tehran has no intention of entering negotiations with the United States, blaming the current escalation on former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Larijani, who serves as Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, made the remarks on his X account in response to reports suggesting that Iran had reached out to Washington through intermediaries to resume talks. He dismissed the claims and accused Trump of destabilising the region.
According to Larijani, Trump had “caused chaos in the region with his false hopes” and was now worried about potential American casualties. He further alleged that Trump’s actions had shifted his “America First” policy toward prioritising Israel’s interests.
“With his crazy actions, he has changed his own slogan of ‘America First’ into ‘Israel First’ and is willing to send American soldiers to support Israel’s search for power,” Larijani wrote.
Larijani, who previously served as a senior adviser to the late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, maintained that Iranian forces “did not start the invasion,” insisting that Tehran was responding to external aggression.
Reports indicate that U.S. and Israeli strikes targeted high-profile Iranian leadership figures. Khamenei was reportedly killed after his residence was hit on Saturday. Members of his family, including his daughter, grandchild, son-in-law, and daughter-in-law, were also said to have died in the attack.
The Israeli military further announced that Ali Shamkhani, a senior adviser to Khamenei, and Mohammad Pakpour, head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, were among those killed in the strikes.
The developments mark a significant escalation in tensions across the Middle East, with diplomatic prospects appearing increasingly remote.
