Tehran Friday Prayer Imam: Iran Will Never Suspend Uranium Enrichment
Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami says Iran will never accept enrichment suspension, rejects US pressure, and stresses universities must remain arenas of science, not violence.
Iran, PUREWILAYAH.COM - Speaking at Tehran’s weekly Friday prayers at Imam Khomeini Mosalla, Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, the interim Friday prayer leader of Tehran, stressed that Iran will never accept the suspension of uranium enrichment, noting that the Islamic Republic has neither done so in the past nor will it do so in the future.
Referring to indirect nuclear negotiations between Iran and the United States, Ayatollah Khatami said the foreign minister is responsible for conveying the people’s message, adding that negotiations are strictly limited to the nuclear file. Missile capabilities and other defense-related issues, he emphasized, are non-negotiable.
He dismissed remarks by some US negotiators calling for enrichment suspension or reduction to zero as “absurd and impossible.”
Trump Compared to Pharaoh, Iran Will Not Submit to Pressure
Ayatollah Khatami strongly criticized Donald Trump, describing him as “the Pharaoh of the modern era,” saying Trump seeks to impose his will through arrogance and coercion, just as Pharaoh once did.
Ayatollah Khatami said US officials, including Steve Witkoff, have questioned why Iran refuses to submit despite military pressure and naval power. According to Ayatollah Khatami, such remarks reveal a deep misunderstanding of the Iranian nation.
“They do not understand the Iranian people,” Ayatollah Khatami said. “This ignorance has left Trump perplexed as to why Iran does not surrender. The Iranian nation is raised in the school of Imam Hussein. Death with dignity is better than life under oppression.”
He warned that in the event of confrontation, aggressors would face decisive consequences, noting that US aircraft carriers are vulnerable to weapons capable of sending them to the depths of the sea.
Universities Must Be Arenas of Science, Not Chaos
Addressing recent unrest in some universities, Ayatollah Khatami said developments over the past month reflect a confrontation between an overwhelming majority loyal to faith, national dignity, martyrs, and the homeland, and a small minority engaged in lawlessness.
Ayatollah Khatami accused these elements of violent acts, including attacks with knives and stones, and of burning mosques, religious centers, and national symbols, describing such behavior as the actions of extremists and foreign-backed elements.
He stressed that universities are centers of rationality and scientific debate, not violence. “The tool of debate is knowledge, not knives. The tool of dialogue is respect for the nation, not burning flags,” Ayatollah Khatami said, calling for firm and lawful action against those responsible for violence.
Cultural and Media War Continues Beyond the Battlefield
Ayatollah Khatami warned that while military confrontation may be limited in time, cultural and media warfare is continuous, alongside ongoing economic pressure.
He said false rumors and fabricated news are deliberately spread to divert public opinion, adding that hostile groups dissaminate fake information to secure foreign funding. Ayatollah Khatami described this practice as psychological warfare and urged Iran’s judiciary to confront such activities decisively. (PW)