A senior representative of Iran's Supreme Leader within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Abdollah Haji-Sadeqi, issued a sharp statement as official talks with the US are set to begin in Switzerland, saying Iran 'will never be friends with America' and 'will not abandon our goal of destroying Israel,' according to Iranian media reports. The remarks underscore the deep gaps between the parties as the first formal meeting of the Bürgenstock round is expected in the afternoon.
As the first formal session of the US-Iran talks at the Bürgenstock resort in Switzerland is expected to convene this afternoon, a senior figure close to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei issued a stark warning that appears to set a hardline tone for the Iranian position.
Abdollah Haji-Sadeqi, identified as the representative of Khamenei's son Mojtaba Khamenei within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), stated in messages carried by Iranian media that Iran "will never be friends with America or abandon our goal of destroying Israel." He added that "the negotiation is not for reconciliation, but a way to achieve our rights as in war, and this principle must not be harmed."
As The Zioneer has reported (Sunday 06:09 and 10:43), Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf have arrived in Switzerland, and the US delegation has also landed. The first formal American demand — IAEA inspections at Iranian nuclear sites — was reported earlier Sunday by i24NEWS. Haji-Sadeqi's statement underscores the hardline posture emanating from Tehran even as diplomatic talks proceed, highlighting the deep strategic divergence between the parties.
The source of the report is a single source aggregating Arab-world news; no on-record confirmation from Iranian officials or the IRGC has been independently verified by The Zioneer at this stage.
2 developments
- DevelopingIranian state TV host: Khamenei never believed in talks, told team negotiations are pointless for them
- DevelopingIsraeli Analyst Dan Diker Warns Iran Aims to Drive Wedge Between US and Israel
- DevelopingIran says it will not accept Israeli forces remaining in southern Lebanon
- StrongIran's Khamenei warns US: 'Don't be complacent' as Israel strikes southern Lebanon
Source and signal
A single-sourced dispatch is never rated Confirmed or Strong. Its Signal strengthens only when a second, independent source corroborates it.
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