Supreme leader dismisses talks as Iran looks to post-Trump future

DUBAI: Iran’s supreme leader dismissed the prospect of new negotiations with the West on Tuesday, even as the Tehran government spoke optimistically about the return of foreign companies in “the absence of Trump” and his sanctions. In remarks reported by state television on Tuesday, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei expressed scepticism about the entire project of negotiating with the West. “We once tried the path of having the sanctions lifted and negotiated several years, but this got us nowhere,” he said. “They interfere in regional affairs, they tell us not to intervene. And while Britain and France have nuclear missiles, they tell us not to have missiles. What does it have to do with you? You should first correct yourselves.” Khamenei has long criticised negotiations with the West. Nevertheless, he gave his ultimate blessing to the nuclear agreement when it was reached.