Iran condemns Trump’s Middle East remarks as offensive and misleading

Sunday 18 May 2025 - 15:38

By: Zahouani Ilham

Iran condemns Trump’s Middle East remarks as offensive and misleading

Iran’s political and military leaders have strongly criticized former U.S. President Donald Trump following a series of inflammatory remarks made during his visit to the Middle East.

During a public speech in Tehran, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei dismissed Trump’s comments as disgraceful, saying they were beneath serious response. Khamenei condemned Trump’s portrayal of Iran and accused him of promoting violence while falsely claiming to support peace. He denounced U.S. backing of Israel’s actions in the region and likened the Israeli state to a “cancerous tumor” that must be eradicated.

President Masoud Pezeshkian echoed these sentiments in a separate address to Iranian naval forces. He criticized Trump’s contradictory stance of advocating peace while supporting what he described as genocide in Gaza. Pezeshkian also condemned Trump’s move to sanction the International Criminal Court, a decision that faced global backlash.

Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE saw him sign major deals with regional allies while simultaneously attacking Iran’s leadership. He portrayed Iran as a nation in decline, blaming its theocratic government for turning fertile lands into deserts and causing widespread blackouts due to poor governance.

These energy shortages have crippled Iran’s economy, with major industrial sectors, including mining and steel, calling on the government to ease a strict electricity usage cap.

Trump also criticized Iran’s foreign policy, particularly its support for Syria’s Bashar al-Assad, which he blamed for fueling instability and suffering in the region. In response, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called Trump’s claims deceptive, accusing the U.S. of perpetuating violence through sanctions and military threats while backing Israel’s actions in Syria.

Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf dismissed Trump’s rhetoric as delusional during an OIC summit in Indonesia. IRGC commander Hossein Salami also responded, emphasizing that Iran values its cultural and Islamic heritage over material infrastructure.

Trump’s hint at renaming the Persian Gulf the “Arabian Gulf” provoked a strong backlash across Iranian society, sparking criticism from officials, media, and even pro-Trump Iranians abroad.

Despite this escalation in rhetoric, both Washington and Tehran have signaled a desire to ease tensions surrounding Iran’s nuclear program. However, negotiations mediated by Oman remain stalled. While Trump claimed a proposal was offered to Iran, Araghchi denied any written offer had been made, citing inconsistent U.S. messaging.

Iranian officials remain firm on maintaining their right to enrich uranium under the Non-Proliferation Treaty. Senior negotiator Kazem Gharibabadi rejected media reports suggesting Iran might halt enrichment during Trump’s presidency, asserting that the right to enrich remains non-negotiable.

Since Trump’s 2018 withdrawal from the nuclear deal, which limited Iran’s uranium enrichment in exchange for sanctions relief, Tehran has increased its enrichment levels significantly. Though Iran now possesses enough enriched material for multiple nuclear weapons, it has not taken steps to build them.