Days after Trump says 'getting close to Iran deal', Khamenei claims US talks unlikely to lead anywhere

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday cast doubts over the outcome of nuclear negotiations with the United States, just days after President Donald Trump declared that a deal was “getting close”.

In a televised speech on Tuesday, Khamenei said the talks were unlikely to bear fruit, accusing the US of making contradictory demands and undermining Iran’s sovereignty.

“We don’t think it will lead to any outcome. We don’t know what will happen,” he said, warning that any attempt to deny Iran’s right to enrich uranium would be a “big mistake”. His remarks came as diplomatic efforts intensified, with the fifth round of indirect talks—mediated by Oman—expected to take place soon.

The remarks come days after Trump’s comments in Qatar last week, where he signalled optimism that a breakthrough was near. “I think we're getting close to maybe doing a deal without having to do this,” he said, referring to military action against Iran’s nuclear sites. Trump claimed Iran had “sort of agreed to the terms”, though he did not provide specifics.

His remarks caused a temporary drop in global oil prices, adding to the geopolitical weight of the ongoing talks. Trump also credited Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, for urging restraint, saying Iran should “say a big thank you” to him for lobbying against military action.

However, Iranian officials have pushed back on the American narrative, with foreign minister Abbas Araghchi warning that enrichment activities would continue “with or without a deal”. In a post on X, he said a deal could be within reach, but only if Washington was serious about ensuring Iran never develops nuclear weapons. Araghchi added that Iran had witnessed “dissonance” between US public statements and private messages.

Iran currently enriches uranium to 60 percent—well above the 3.67 percent cap set by the 2015 deal, but below the 90 percent needed for a weapon. While Iran insists its programme is peaceful, Western powers remain sceptical, with US negotiator Steve Witkoff recently declaring that America “cannot allow even one percent of an enrichment capability”.

Trump, meanwhile, continues to dangle the prospect of massive pressure. He warned that unless Tehran moves quickly, “something bad is going to happen”. The US has already threatened to drive Iran’s oil exports to zero and reinstate crushing sanctions, including through a UN snapback mechanism set to expire in October.

Talks have also resumed with the UK, France and Germany, key signatories to the 2015 nuclear deal. Araghchi said Iran is open to a “new chapter” with Europe but cautioned that trust must be restored.