Iran's Khamenei Rejects US Pressure Amid Nuclear Standoff

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared that the current standoff with the United States is "unsolvable" and vowed that Tehran would never submit to U.S. pressure or become "obedient" to Washington amid ongoing nuclear tensions. Despite Iran and European powers agreeing to resume nuclear talks, Khamenei dismissed calls for direct negotiations with the U.S. as superficial and unrealistic. The United States, supported by Israel, has imposed fresh sanctions targeting Iran's oil exports and threatened possible military action if Iran advances uranium enrichment. Meanwhile, Russia and China have opposed Western threats to reactivate UN sanctions via the snapback mechanism, complicating efforts to isolate Iran and potentially enabling Tehran to continue its nuclear program with less international oversight. Iran has halted cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency following Israeli strikes on its nuclear sites, raising concerns about its uranium stockpile nearing weapons-grade levels. European nations have warned that sanctions could snap back if Iran fails to engage substantively in nuclear negotiations, but Tehran maintains its stance against Western demands.