Iran Rejects Direct Talks With U.S. as Trump Threatens Unprecedented Bombing

Iran signals openness to indirect negotiations but demands trust-building measures, while the U.S. escalates threats over Tehran's advancing nuclear program.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed on Sunday that Tehran has rejected direct negotiations with the U.S., citing distrust stemming from past agreements, including the 2018 U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear deal.
Tehran remains open to indirect talks, using Oman as an intermediary, but progress has been limited under the U.S.'s 'maximum pressure' campaign of sanctions and military threats.
President Donald Trump warned of 'bombing the likes of which they have never seen before' if Iran does not agree to a new nuclear deal, alongside the potential reimposition of secondary tariffs.
Iran continues to enrich uranium to near weapons-grade levels, a development confirmed by the International Atomic Energy Agency, raising fears of nuclear proliferation despite Iran's insistence that its program is for peaceful purposes.
The U.S. and Israel have reiterated that military action remains an option to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, further escalating tensions in the region.