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U.S. President Donald Trump sent a letter to Iran earlier this month warning that the United States would not tolerate threats to itself or its allies, while also offering a path toward peaceful relations, according to a report by Sky News Arabic on Saturday.
The correspondence, revealed for the first time this weekend, opened with an offer of reconciliation, including the lifting of sanctions and a “clean slate” for U.S.-Iran relations. Trump’s message also stressed that peace is not a sign of weakness but “a choice made by strong people,” adding that “the Iranian people deserve a better future.”
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Donald Trump, speaking from the Oval Office, addresses the potential renewal of nuclear talks with Iran
However, the letter also included a stark warning: if Tehran rejected Washington’s outreach and continued supporting terror groups or escalating military tensions, it would face a “quick and forceful response.”
Iran swiftly rejected the overture. Quoted by Qatari newspaper The New Arab, Iranian officials said they would not resume nuclear negotiations outside the framework of the 2015 nuclear deal, and ruled out any talks on their missile program.
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“Our policy remains not to engage in direct talks with the U.S. due to its maximum pressure campaign and military threats,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in response to the letter.
Tensions between the two nations have escalated in recent weeks. Iran warned it would respond militarily to any American or Israeli aggression after the U.S. bolstered its military presence in the region.
At least five B-2 stealth bombers recently arrived at the U.S. base on Diego Garcia, a British territory in the Indian Ocean located near Iran and Yemen, with more bombers reportedly en route. The remote base has previously been used to launch strikes against targets in Afghanistan and Iraq.