Iran’s Supreme Leader: Negotiations with the U.S. Government Bring No Benefit to Us
WANA (Sep 23) – In a televised address to the Iranian nation, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution stated: Under current circumstances, negotiations with the U.S. government bring no benefit to us, nor will they avert any harm from us.
Ayatollah Khamenei, in his televised address to the people, spoke about the unity of the Iranian nation, uranium enrichment, and negotiations with the United States.
At the beginning of this speech, the Leader said: I recommend to our dear officials, especially those in the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Science, and Ministry of Health, to always keep in mind the value and importance of Iranian youth’s talent. Iranian youth have shown their abilities in knowledge and many other aspects of life.
13 Medals for Iranian Teenagers at the World Invention Exhibition in the U.S. Social media / WANA News Agency
Let me read these statistics here: In recent global student competitions, despite the challenges of the twelve-day war and other difficulties, our students won forty medals of various types, eleven of which were gold. This is very significant and valuable. In the International Astronomy Olympiad, they won first place worldwide among all participating countries. In other disciplines too, they achieved great results. In sports as well, as you can see these days — earlier in volleyball, and now in wrestling — our youth are achieving success. Their talent, thanks to God, is extraordinary. This must be utilized.
The 2025 World Freestyle Wrestling Championships in Zagreb. Iranian National Wrestling team. Source: IWF / WANA News Agency
Seyed Hassan Nasrallah is gone, but the wealth he created remains
The Leader continued: On the anniversary of the martyrdom of the great struggler, Seyed Hassan Nasrallah, I find it necessary to remember him. Seyed Hassan Nasrallah was a great asset for the Islamic world — not only for Shia, not only for Lebanon, but for the entire Islamic world. Of course, this asset has not been lost. He is gone, but the wealth he created remains. The story of Hezbollah in Lebanon is ongoing. Hezbollah must not be underestimated, and this wealth must not be overlooked. It is an asset both for Lebanon and beyond.
The unity of the Iranian nation during the twelve-day war frustrated the enemy
The unity of the Iranian nation during the twelve-day war frustrated the enemyThe Leader stressed: Regarding the unity of the Iranian people, my first point is that during the twelve-day war, the unity and cohesion of our nation frustrated the enemy. By the early and middle days of the war, the enemy realized it would not achieve its intended objectives.
Their aim was not merely to target commanders — that was just a means. Their true goal was to disrupt the Islamic Republic. They thought that by striking military commanders and influential figures, unrest would erupt in the country, especially in Tehran, where their agents would incite riots and pull people into the streets to create an uprising against the Islamic Republic. But this goal failed from the outset. Commanders were swiftly replaced, the military structure remained strong, and the people — the most decisive factor — were not swayed by the enemy’s intentions. Yes, demonstrations filled the streets, but against the enemy, not against the Islamic system.
The people’s actions forced foreign backers to reproach their agents inside Iran: “We bombed, we assassinated, we killed, we created conditions, but you achieved nothing!” And their agents had to admit: “The people ignored us, turned their backs on us, and the authorities prevented unrest. We could do nothing.” Thus, the enemy’s plan was neutralized.
People attend the Friday prayers, amid the Iran-Israel conflict, in Tehran, Iran, June 20, 2025. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)
Some pretend that unity was only for wartime — this is utterly false
The Leader continued: Some, mostly from outside the country, now try to portray this unity as temporary, claiming it was limited to the early days of the twelve-day war and that it will fade as differences emerge. They hope to exploit ethnic and political divisions to pit Iranians against each other and create unrest. I say clearly: this is utterly false. Yes, political disagreements exist. Yes, we have many ethnic groups in Iran, but they are all proud Iranians. In the face of the enemy, they form a single iron fist. This was true yesterday, it is true today, and with God’s help, it will remain true tomorrow.
Uranium enrichment affects many aspects of people’s lives
The Leader continued: The second point is uranium enrichment. The term “enrichment” is frequently mentioned in the debates between our Foreign Ministry and foreign counterparts, as well as in domestic discussions. But what is enrichment, and why is it so important? Uranium enrichment means that our scientists take raw uranium from Iran’s mines and, through complex and advanced processes, transform it into a highly valuable substance that impacts various aspects of people’s lives.
Enriched uranium benefits agriculture, industry, food production, environmental protection, scientific research, and, of course, energy production. Most advanced countries power their plants with uranium. We mostly use oil and gas, which are costly and pollute the environment. Nuclear energy produces clean, long-lasting, and cost-effective electricity. This is why enrichment is so important.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei visits the Iran nuclear achievements in Tehran, Iran June 11, 2023. Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/WANA (West Asia News Agency)
We have raised enrichment to 60%, which meets our needs
Today, Iran has reached a high level of enrichment — up to 60%, which is very significant. We are one of only ten countries worldwide with this capability. Unlike others, we neither have nor seek nuclear weapons. Instead, we use enrichment for peaceful purposes. Our scientists have laid the foundation, trained numerous experts, and today we have dozens of top professors, hundreds of researchers, and thousands of trained specialists working in nuclear fields. This knowledge cannot be bombed away; science cannot be destroyed by threats.
Negotiations with the U.S. today bring no benefit
The Leader continued: Many political figures discuss negotiations with the U.S., with differing views. From my decades of observation and experience, I tell our people: under current conditions, negotiations with the U.S. will neither advance our national interests, nor prevent harm. They are useless. Moreover, they entail great dangers and damages, some possibly irreparable.
Why? Because the U.S. already dictates the outcome: that Iran must shut down its nuclear activities and enrichment. That is not negotiation; it is dictation, imposition. They now say Iran must not have enrichment, nor missiles — not even short-range ones — so that Iran would be left defenseless. Such negotiations only serve the enemy, not us.
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We have not and will not surrender to pressure
For decades, they have pressured Iran to abandon enrichment. We did not yield, and we will not yield. To demand that we eliminate enrichment altogether means erasing the result of years of effort, sacrifice, and cost. A proud nation like ours will never accept this. Any negotiation imposed through threats is neither honorable nor rational. No dignified nation, no wise statesman, accepts such a negotiation.
The JCPOA experience: promises broken
Ten years ago, we signed an agreement with the Americans, known domestically as the JCPOA. We fulfilled all our commitments: we shut down facilities, gave up enriched uranium, and accepted restrictions. In return, they were supposed to lift sanctions and normalize Iran’s case at the IAEA after ten years. I warned at the time that ten years was too long, but officials accepted it anyway. Now the ten years are over. What happened? Not only did they not normalize our case, but they multiplied our nuclear problems at the UN and the IAEA. They never lifted sanctions, and later they tore up the deal altogether. This is the reality of their promises.
