Trump’s Letter to Iran’s Supreme Leader: Uncertainty, Diplomacy, and Nuclear Concerns

U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he had written a letter to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, inviting him to negotiations. Trump, in an interview with Fox News, emphasized his preference for reaching a nuclear agreement with Iran, reiterating his longstanding position that Iran must not possess nuclear weapons.

However, conflicting reports have emerged regarding the status of this letter. While initial reports suggested that Trump had already sent the letter, an American official later told Al Jazeera that although Trump wrote the letter, it has not yet been sent. Additionally, after the news was published, Iran’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations denied receiving any such letter from Trump.

Trump reiterated in his Fox News interview, “I prefer to negotiate and reach an agreement with Iran.” He further added, “The other option is to take action because Iran cannot be allowed to have nuclear weapons.”

Speaking in the Oval Office with reporters, President Trump hinted at high stakes coming to a head in the days and weeks to come. He stated, “We’re down to final moments. We’re at final moments. We can’t let them have a nuclear weapon. It’s an interesting time in the history of the world, but we have a situation with Iran that something’s going to happen very soon, very, very soon.”

“Hopefully we can have a peace deal,” Trump continued. “I’m not speaking out of strength or weakness; I’m just saying I’d rather see a peace deal than the other. But the other will solve the problem,” seemingly referring to strikes on Iran’s nuclear program.

Meanwhile, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, speaking at the sidelines of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Jeddah, reiterated Iran’s stance against negotiating under the maximum pressure campaign. Araghchi stated, “As long as the Trump administration continues to exert maximum pressure, Iran will not resume negotiations with the United States regarding its nuclear program.” He also emphasized, “Iran’s nuclear program cannot be destroyed through military action.”

Recent weeks have seen increasing speculation about Russia’s role as a mediator between the U.S. and Iran. The visit of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to Tehran, following his discussions with U.S. officials in Saudi Arabia, has intensified this speculation. Russian diplomatic efforts appear to be focused on reopening indirect channels for dialogue between Washington and Tehran, although no concrete plans for negotiations have been confirmed.

Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia’s top representative at international institutions in Vienna, recently acknowledged in an interview with BBC Persian that talks regarding Iran took place during negotiations in Riyadh. While he confirmed that a direct communication channel had been established, he emphasized that there were currently no definitive plans to restart nuclear negotiations. Ulyanov also warned that too much time had already been lost, stating that the 2015 nuclear deal (JCPOA) could have been revived three years ago but the opportunity had since faded.

Parallel to diplomatic maneuvers, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has raised serious concerns over Iran’s nuclear activities. According to the IAEA, Iran now possesses enough 60% enriched uranium to produce six nuclear bombs. Furthermore, following the recent resolution passed by the IAEA against Iran three months ago, Tehran has accelerated its production of 60% enriched uranium, adding enough material each month to produce an additional bomb.

The three European signatories to the **JCPOA—France, Germany, and the United Kingdom—**have issued a joint statement condemning Iran’s continued nuclear advancements, citing its failure to comply with its obligations under the agreement. They have stressed that Iran’s actions have reached an unprecedented level for a country that claims to have no interest in nuclear weapons. The IAEA has also reported that Iran has refused to allow sufficient access to the agency’s inspectors, further complicating efforts to monitor its nuclear program.

During his presidency, Trump implemented a “maximum pressure” policy aimed at crippling Iran’s economy. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently reaffirmed that these sanctions were designed to collapse Iran’s oil sector and destabilize its economy. Bessent stated that Washington intended to cut Iran’s daily oil exports and dismantle its drone production capabilities.

Additionally, the U.S. has pressured Iraq to sever its energy ties with Iran, warning Baghdad against facilitating financial transactions that could help Tehran bypass sanctions. The State Department is currently reviewing all exemptions from sanctions to ensure maximum economic pressure remains in place. Despite these measures, Iran has continued to maneuver around sanctions, leveraging its financial resources in countries such as Qatar, Iraq, and Turkey.

As diplomatic tensions continue to rise, the international community faces a complex challenge. The European nations, while eager to prevent a full-scale nuclear crisis, find themselves in a difficult position amid global geopolitical shifts. Russia’s recent diplomatic outreach, particularly its proposed mediation between Iran and the U.S., has added another layer of complexity to the situation.

Meanwhile, Tehran maintains that its nuclear program is purely for peaceful purposes. However, the IAEA and Western nations remain unconvinced. The upcoming meetings of the IAEA Board of Governors will be critical in shaping the next steps regarding Iran’s nuclear ambitions. With time running out before key provisions of the UN Security Council Resolution 2231 expire, many speculate that European leaders will attempt to trigger the JCPOA’s “snapback mechanism” in the months to come, which could reimpose prior United Nations Security Council resolutions on Iran.

The diplomatic landscape remains fluid, and while no party appears willing to escalate to open conflict, the risk of further deterioration in U.S.-Iran relations remains significant. Whether through Russian mediation, European diplomatic efforts, or direct U.S.-Iran engagement, the path forward is uncertain. However, prospects for negotiations have not closed. Iran’s response to Trump’s letter, when it arrives, could prove significant in opening or closing the window for possible negotiations in the weeks and months to come.