The influential chief commander of the Quds Force said on Monday that Iran’s clerical establishment would never negotiate with the US under enforced economic pressure, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.
“By putting economic pressure on Iran, America wants to force us to enter talks with this country… any negotiation under the circumstances is surrendering to America and it will never happen,” Qassem Soleimani was quoted as saying.
President Donald Trump re-imposed sanctions on Tehran after pulling the US out of a 2015 nuclear deal last May.