Trump Extends Hand To Iran Leader, Tehran Rejects It

(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer) Washington- U.S. President Donald Trump's surprise declaration that he would be“honored” to meet Iran's new Supreme Leader was swiftly rebuffed by Tehran on Thursday, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi dismissing the prospect as unrealistic and urging people to“live in the real world.”

“I'd be honored to meet him,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.“If we make a deal, it's possible that I would meet... I'd be okay with that.”

ADVERTISEMENT

The remarks came amid fragile diplomatic contacts aimed at transforming a ceasefire between the two countries into a more permanent settlement following months of conflict.

Mojtaba Khamenei assumed Iran's highest political and religious office in March after the assasination of his father, former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a U.S.-Israeli strike on his residence in Tehran on Feb. 28.

Trump's comments marked a notable shift in rhetoric toward Tehran's leadership even as the United States continues measures that Iran has repeatedly condemned, including a naval blockade on Iranian vessels and ports. Tehran has described the restrictions as a violation of the ceasefire that took effect on April 8.

Speaking separately on Thursday, Trump also revealed that his administration had at one point considered a covert operation to seize Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium but ultimately abandoned the idea because of the risks involved.

Read Also PM Modi Good Friend, India & US Will Get to Trade Deal: Trump US, Israel Have a Problem with Independent Iran: Khamenei

“There was a time at the very beginning when we thought about doing that, because they would have not been watching, but they would have found out,” Trump said.

The U.S. president said he was concerned about becoming entangled in a prolonged military operation similar to the failed 1980 American hostage rescue mission in Iran, which damaged then-President Jimmy Carter politically.

“I didn't want to be Jimmy Carter. I didn't feel like being Jimmy Carter,” Trump said.

He added that removing Iran's uranium stockpile would have required a substantial military presence and specialized equipment.

ADVERTISEMENT

“It's not like Venezuela, like you go in, you're there for a matter of minutes, and you're out and everybody's waving goodbye,” Trump said.“You need massive equipment to airlift the equipment, and you're in a war zone.”

Trump's comments came after reports that U.S. military planners had explored options involving Iran's nuclear facilities during the conflict.

IRAN PLAYS DOWN MEETING PROSPECTS

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, however, dismissed the likelihood of a meeting between Trump and Iran's new supreme leader, suggesting the proposal was unrealistic under current circumstances.

“I saw a report which apparently said that he (Trump) had stated that he was ready for a meeting or that he wanted to hold a meeting,” Araqchi said in an interview with Lebanon-based Al Mayadeen television aired on Thursday.

“I think we should be realistic and think and live in the real world,” he said.

Araqchi also provided new details about the strike that killed Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei, saying he had been inside the leader's office complex during the attack but escaped unharmed because he was located in a different section of the building.

The February attack triggered a major escalation in the conflict, prompting Iran to launch missile and drone attacks against Israel and U.S.-allied targets across the Gulf region.

The fighting was halted by a ceasefire that took effect on April 8, though tensions remain high and negotiators have yet to secure a comprehensive settlement.

Araqchi said Mojtaba Khamenei remained actively engaged in governing despite making few public appearances since assuming office.

“The new supreme leader has a completely close and effective presence in the country's affairs and has full control,” he said.

He added that Khamenei's limited public appearances were due to ongoing security concerns.

“His absence from public view is due to security considerations” related to the war, Araqchi said.

Negotiations between Iran and the United States, conducted through both direct and mediated channels, have so far failed to produce a permanent agreement to end the conflict, leaving the future of relations between the two longtime adversaries uncertain.

MENAFN05062026000215011059ID1111218318