Khamenei rejects U.S. authority over Iran’s nuclear program

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, declared on Wednesday that the United States has no authority to dictate Tehran’s uranium enrichment policies, amid ongoing indirect negotiations between the two countries over the Iranian nuclear program.

“The proposal presented by the Americans is 100% against our revolutionary slogan of ‘we can,’” Khamenei said, referencing the 1979 Islamic Revolution’s core principle of independence from foreign influence.

“Why is it your business whether Iran enriches uranium or not? This is none of your concern. You have no say in this matter,” he added during a speech marking the 36th anniversary of the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic.

His comments come just days after a senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran is preparing to formally reject a recent U.S. proposal on the nuclear file, calling it “unacceptable” and claiming it fails to address Iran’s core demands or ease Washington’s stance on enrichment.

“Iran is drafting a negative response to the U.S. proposal, which could be interpreted as a rejection of the offer,” said the Iranian diplomat, reportedly close to the negotiating team.

The statement follows five rounds of talks between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, appointed by former President Donald Trump for Middle East affairs.

The negotiations, which remain sensitive and indirect, aim to ease tensions over Iran’s nuclear ambitions, particularly its capacity to enrich uranium—a central point of contention since the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal in 2018.