Amid rising tensions in West Asia following the assassination of Ayatollah Khamenei in Israeli-US strikes, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani on Monday strongly rejected suggestions that Iran will not negotiate with the United States.
He made these comments in response to Al Jazeera breaking news, which quoted the Wall Street Journal as saying that Larijani was going to restart talks with the US by appointing Oman as a mediator.
Al Jazeera reported in its post, “The Wall Street Journal quoted officials: Larijani’s initiative to resume talks with Washington was presented through intermediaries of the Sultanate of Oman.”
In another string of sharp rhetoric against the US President, Larijani accused Trump of pushing the region into chaos and pointed to rising casualties among US troops.
He attacked the US for pursuing an ‘Israel-first’ agenda and insisted that Iran had not initiated the aggression.
With his misleading actions he changed his self-made “America First” slogan to “Israel First” and sacrificed American soldiers for Israel’s power-hungry ambitions and with new fabricated claims, he is once again imposing the cost of tarnishing his own character on American soldiers and their families. Today the Iranian nation is protecting itself. Iran’s armed forces did not initiate the attack.
This morning, IRNA reported that Iran’s Interim Leadership Council held its second meeting in the presence of Iranian President Massoud Pezzakian, judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ezei and Ayatollah Alireza Arafi.
“The second meeting of the Temporary Leadership Council was held in the presence of President Dr. Pezeshkian, Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ezei and Alireza Arafi,” IRNA said, sharing footage of the meeting in a post on Twitter on Monday.
The second meeting of the Interim Leadership Council is being held after the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei in strikes under Israel-US Operation Epic Fury/Roaring Lion on Saturday.
Following Khamenei’s assassination, Trump once again addressed the Iranian public on Saturday and called for the overthrow of the government. “This may be your only chance for generations,” he said Saturday after the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran.
The interim leadership council was formed soon after the assassination of Iran’s supreme leader Khamenei and top security officials in successive US and Israeli attacks.
An interim council, including President Massoud Pezeshkian, will oversee the country until a new supreme leader is elected. According to Al Jazeera, Iranian state media say at least 201 people have been killed in the attacks in 24 provinces.
