“Iran is face of terror, but door to friendship remains open”: White House responds to Khamenei

The White House has issued a sharp response following Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s rejection of President Donald Trump’s offer for direct talks and his renewed anti-American rhetoric.

A senior White House official, speaking to reporters, said Iran’s regime “has been responsible for countless deaths and destruction across the Middle East.” Still, the official noted, “President Trump’s position remains clear — the hand of friendship and cooperation is always open.”

According to the White House official, the president believes that “nothing would do more good for this region than for Iran’s leaders to renounce their support for terrorism and recognize Israel’s right to exist.”

Khamenei on Monday dismissed Trump’s statements as “lies,” accusing the United States of being “the real image of terrorism.”

He vowed that Iran would not bow to US pressure, particularly after the American president’s recent remarks about “destroying” Iran’s nuclear facilities.

Responding to those comments, the White House official emphasized that “President Trump has always been clear: the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism can never be allowed to possess nuclear weapons.”

US officials maintain that if Iran changes its behavior, relations between Washington and Tehran could enter a new era of dialogue and cooperation.