Tehran, August 24, 2025 – Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared on Sunday that Iran will resist U.S. efforts to force the country into submission, accusing Washington of seeking an “obedient” Iran. The remarks, reported by state media, were made during a religious ceremony in Tehran marking the death anniversary of the Shiite Eighth Imam Reza.
Khamenei’s comments follow an agreement on Friday between Iran and European powers—France, Britain, and Germany—to resume nuclear talks aimed at reviving negotiations on Iran’s nuclear enrichment program. The European nations warned they could trigger a “snapback” mechanism to reinstate United Nations sanctions if Iran fails to engage. Talks are scheduled to begin on Tuesday.
“They want Iran to be obedient to America. The Iranian nation will stand with all its power against those who have such erroneous expectations,” Khamenei said, rejecting calls for direct negotiations with the U.S. and dismissing slogans against Washington as superficial. He accused the U.S. and Israel, referred to as “the Zionist regime,” of sowing discord within Iran to weaken the country.
Tensions over Iran’s nuclear program have escalated since the U.S. withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal in 2018 under then-President Donald Trump, who imposed stringent sanctions as part of a “maximum pressure” campaign. The agreement, which saw Iran scale back its nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief, was also opposed by Israel, a close U.S. ally.
A 12-day conflict in June 2025, involving U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, derailed earlier nuclear talks just as Tehran and Washington were set to hold their sixth round of negotiations. Iran maintains its nuclear program is for civilian purposes, while the U.S. and European states suspect it is aimed at developing nuclear weapons.
Khamenei urged Iranians to remain united in the face of what he described as U.S. efforts to subjugate the nation, warning that division would only benefit Iran’s adversaries. Relations between Tehran and Washington have been severed since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, which overthrew the U.S.-backed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.
The upcoming talks with European powers mark a critical juncture as Iran faces mounting international pressure to address concerns over its nuclear ambitions.
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