Iranian FM Urges Trump to Drop ‘Disrespectful Tone’ Towards Khamenei if He Wants a Deal

Tehran — Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Saturday urged former US President Donald Trump to abandon his “disrespectful and unacceptable tone” when referring to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warning that such rhetoric could jeopardize any future negotiations between Washington and Tehran.

Araghchi emphasized that mutual respect is essential if the US genuinely intends to engage in dialogue with Iran.

“If President Trump is serious about striking a deal, he must stop using offensive and disrespectful language towards Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, and refrain from insulting the millions of his loyal followers,” Araghchi wrote in a post on X.

He added, “The complexity and resilience of the Iranian people is reflected in our world-famous carpets — each knot woven through hard work and patience. But at our core, we are simple and direct: we know our worth, we value our independence, and we will never allow anyone to dictate our future.”

The Iranian Foreign Minister also warned that the Iranian people do not tolerate “threats or insults.”

“The proud and resilient people of Iran — the same people who showed the world that Israel had to run to its ‘Daddy’ for help to avoid destruction by our missiles — do not respond well to threats or humiliation. If arrogance and illusions lead to further mistakes, Iran will not hesitate to reveal its true strength, and that will end any misconceptions about our capabilities. Goodwill generates goodwill, and respect earns respect,” Araghchi asserted.

His remarks came after Trump posted a controversial message on his social media platform, Truth Social, claiming he had “saved” Khamenei from an “ugly and humiliating death” during the recent conflict with Israel, while accusing the Iranian leader of lying about Iran’s supposed victory over Israel.

“Why would the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ of the war-torn nation of Iran blatantly and foolishly claim victory over Israel, knowing full well it’s a lie? As a man of faith, he should not lie. His country was decimated, his three evil nuclear sites obliterated, and I knew exactly where he was hiding. I prevented Israel — and the US military, the most powerful in the world — from taking his life. I saved him from an ugly, humiliating death, even though he doesn’t have to thank me,” Trump wrote.

Trump further revealed that he had ordered Israeli warplanes returning from a mission targeting Tehran at the last moment, preventing what could have been the largest and most devastating attack of the war.

He added that he was working on a plan to ease sanctions and improve Iran’s prospects for recovery but abandoned those efforts after hearing “angry, hateful, and disgusting” statements from Iran’s leadership.

“Iran needs to rejoin the global community or their situation will only worsen,” Trump warned.

Earlier this week, Trump announced a ceasefire between Iran and Israel after nearly two weeks of escalating military tensions, urging both sides to exercise restraint.

With inputs from IANS