Shafaq News/ On Saturday, The White House, responding to Iran's rejection of President Donald Trump's call to negotiate a nuclear agreement, reiterated Trump's assertion that Tehran can be dealt with either militarily or by making a deal.

"We hope the Iran Regime puts its people and best interests ahead of terror," White House National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes said in a statement, after Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said Tehran will not be bullied into negotiations.

Iranian officials denied Trump's claim on Friday that he had sent a warning message to Khamenei, suggesting pressure on the Iranian government to negotiate its nuclear program. Trump, in his message, had raised the possibility of military action, while reiterating his stance that Iran would not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons.

During an interview with Fox Business on Friday, Trump revealed that he had sent a letter to Khamenei proposing direct talks with the Islamic Republic to discuss its nuclear program, stressing that a negotiated solution would be "much better" for Iran.

However, Trump did not stop at extending an invitation. He escalated his rhetoric, warning in his message, "If we have to go to the military option, it will be very, very bad for them." He further asserted, "We will not let them have a nuclear weapon."

This prompted Khamenei's rejection on Saturday evening, as he made clear that Iran would not engage in discussions on its nuclear and missile capabilities under "maximum pressure."

Since 2015, Washington has sought to curb Iran's nuclear program in exchange for easing sanctions, under the agreement known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). However, President Trump withdrew from the deal in 2018, leading to its collapse.

In his current term, Trump has returned to a "maximum pressure" strategy, tightening sanctions on Iran and accusing it of seeking nuclear weapons, a claim Tehran consistently denies, reiterating its willingness to revive the agreement with the US.