<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said he rejects a US push for talks between the two countries because they would be aimed at imposing restrictions on Iranian missile range and its influence in the region.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Speaking to a group of officials on Saturday, Khamenei did not identify the United States by name but said a "bullying government" was being persistent in its push for talks.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Their talks are not aimed at solving problems, it is for ... let's talk to impose what we want on the other party that is sitting on the opposite side of the table."</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/gene-hackman-died-of-heart-disease-his-wife-died-of-hantavirus-about-1-week-prior-authorities-say/3cd59217-c8b6-4b76-9859-25ba65e6f798"><strong><span>The horrific details of Hackman and wife's final moments revealed</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Khamenei's remarks came a day after President Donald Trump acknowledged sending a letter to Khamenei seeking a new deal with Tehran to restrain its rapidly advancing nuclear program and replace the nuclear deal he withdrew America from during his first term in office.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Khamenei said US demands would be both military and related to the regional influence of Iran.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"They will be about defense capabilities, about international capabilities of the country. (They will urge Iran) not to do (certain) things, not to meet some certain people, not to go to a certain place, not to produce some items, your missile range should not be more than a certain distance. Is it possible for anybody to accept these?"</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/irans-top-leader-rejects-talks-with-the-us-over-missile-range-regional-influence/de211bc1-9c4a-47ef-943c-8d603497b628" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters, said such talks would not address solving problems between Iran and the West. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/russia-ukraine-conflict-updates-donald-trump-considering-sanctions-on-russia-until-ceasefire-is-reached/f3519a38-2c13-41b4-a880-f87c533f4756"><strong><span>Trump 'strongly considering' sanctions on Russia to force war deal</span></strong></a><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Though Khamenei did not name any person or country, he said the push for talks creates pressure on Iran in public opinion. "It is not negotiation. It is commanding and imposition," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Trump in comments to reporters in the Oval Office on Friday did not mention the letter directly. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But he made a veiled reference to possible military action, saying: "We have a situation with Iran that, something's going to happen very soon. Very, very soon."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>His overture comes as both Israel and the United States have warned they will never let Iran acquire a nuclear weapon, leading to fears of a military confrontation as Tehran enriches uranium at near weapons-grade levels — something only done by atomic-armed nations.</span></div></div><div class="styles__Wrapper-sc-2o34ro-0 cmwkBV"><div class="styles__Column-sc-2o34ro-3 jJDKrX"><a href="/content/2025/03/07/12/41/today-in-history-march-9-what-happened-on-this-day"><img alt="" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 636px, (min-width: 768px) 396px, 100vw" src="https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/8rh6-7Xay6Ayefzk5Ij63NWrSmc=/396x223/https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2Ffs%2Feb90ce39-dba9-4c27-910b-3346354951da" srcset="https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/8rh6-7Xay6Ayefzk5Ij63NWrSmc=/396x223/https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2Ffs%2Feb90ce39-dba9-4c27-910b-3346354951da 396w, https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/7AZLztAMqGnKfrKVQLs1ixT3Gb8=/636x358/https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2Ffs%2Feb90ce39-dba9-4c27-910b-3346354951da 636w"/></a></div><div class="styles__Column-sc-2o34ro-3 jJDKrX"><div class="styles__Headline-sc-2o34ro-4 hpbOlz">Neighbour murdered three days after talk show embarrassment</div><div class="styles__Button-sc-2o34ro-1 eBjlmW"><a class="styles__ButtonLink-sc-2o34ro-2 hqpklJ" href="/content/2025/03/07/12/41/today-in-history-march-9-what-happened-on-this-day">View Gallery</a></div></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Tehran has long maintained its program is for peaceful purposes, even as its officials increasingly threaten to pursue the bomb as tensions are high with the US over its sanctions and with Israel as a shaky ceasefire holds in its war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Iran's accelerated production of near weapons-grade uranium puts more pressure on Trump. He's repeatedly said he's open to negotiations with the Islamic Republic while also increasingly targeting Iran's oil sales with sanctions as part of his reimposed "maximum pressure" policy.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Late in August, Khamenei in a speech opened the door to possible talks with the US, saying there is "no harm" in engaging with the "enemy." </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>However, more recently the supreme leader tempered that, saying that negotiations with America "are not intelligent, wise or honorable," after Trump floated nuclear talks with Tehran.</span></div></div>