Iran's Supreme Leader: Trump's Support for Israel Contradicts Cooperation with Iran

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's Supreme Leader, has strongly criticized former U.S. President Donald Trump's policy of supporting Israel, arguing that it makes cooperation with Iran difficult.

Khamenei officially stated this position on November 3rd, local time, at an event commemorating the 46th anniversary of the seizure of the U.S. Embassy in Iran. He emphasized that "America's continued support for Israel is fundamentally incompatible with cooperation with Iran." This statement suggests that Iran considers changes in U.S. policy as an important prerequisite for improving relations with the United States.

Khamenei stated that specific conditions for improving relations with the U.S. include the U.S. ceasing all support for Israel, withdrawing its military bases from the Middle East, and completely stopping interference in the region. He made it clear that relations with the U.S. could only be reconsidered if these conditions are met, demonstrating that Iran is demanding fundamental changes to U.S. Middle East policy.

He described the past seizure of the U.S. Embassy in Iran as "a day that revealed the true nature of the arrogant U.S. government" and "a day of honor and victory." The Iranian Supreme Leader's assessment is interpreted as re-emphasizing Iran's stance on the past event. The 1979 embassy seizure left deep scars on relations between the two countries.

In November 1979, Iranian university students occupied the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days. This incident was a decisive factor in severely deteriorating relations between the U.S. and Iran, and relations between the two countries have remained strained for decades since. The incident remains a shadow over the two countries' relationship to this day.

Iran halted nuclear negotiations with the United States in June 2025, following Israeli and U.S. airstrikes on nuclear facilities. This has served as a major factor exacerbating tensions between the two countries. The suspension of nuclear negotiations has caused significant setbacks in diplomatic efforts between the two countries and made prospects for improved relations even more uncertain.

On October 13th, former U.S. President Donald Trump demanded that Iran abandon uranium enrichment, but Supreme Leader Khamenei officially rejected Trump's proposal on October 20th. This further strained relations between the U.S. and Iran. Former President Trump's hardline policy toward Iran resulted in deepening the conflict between the two countries.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi cautiously mentioned the possibility of resuming nuclear negotiations between Iran and the United States in an interview with Al Jazeera. He stated that indirect negotiations could be pursued if equal conditions based on mutual benefit are created. This statement suggests that Iran is leaving room for negotiation under certain conditions.

Supreme Leader Khamenei's recent remarks have made it clear that he has a negative view of resuming negotiations with the U.S. His remarks show that Iran will not agree to negotiations without changes in U.S. policy.

Iran's continued nuclear development program is a serious concern for the international community. The U.S. is using various methods of pressure, including economic sanctions, to stop Iran's nuclear development. This pressure from the U.S. is placing a considerable burden on the Iranian economy and further complicating relations between the two countries.

Relations between Iran and the United States will largely depend on whether nuclear negotiations resume and whether U.S. policy toward Iran changes. Khamenei's hardline stance could have a significant impact on future relations between the two countries. The U.S. Embassy in Iran is currently closed, and Switzerland is acting as the protecting power for U.S. interests. This shows that direct diplomatic channels between the two countries are severed.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry is urging the U.S. to lift sanctions on Iran and return to the nuclear agreement. Iran maintains that it is the responsibility of the U.S. to return to the nuclear agreement and is demanding proactive measures from the U.S.