US President Trump says "no thanks" on Twitter to Iran's conditional negotiation offer

"No thanks!" was Donald Trump's response on Twitter, while underscoring that the US will not withdraw sanctions on Iran in order to enter a negotiation with the country. Donald Trump's response came after after Iranian Foreign Minister suggested that Tehran was willing to negotiation, on the condition that the US lifts crippling sanctions against the country. Further, nudging that it is the US that is averting negotiation.

"Iranian Foreign Minister says 'Iran wants to negotiate with The United States, but wants sanctions removed.' No Thanks!" Trump tweeted in English on Saturday and then in Farsi. In response, Zarif tweeted an excerpt from the interview and said, "Donald Trump is better advised to base its foreign policy comments and decisions on facts, rather than Fox New headlines or his Farso translators."

READ| US-Iran tensions: Israel, China, Russia pick sides; here's how rest of the world reacted

"The Trump administration can correct its past, lift the sanctions, and come back to the negotiation table. We're still at the negotiation table," Javad Zarif, the foreign minister of Iran had said previously. "They're the ones who left," he added, extending their hand for negotiation to douse the tensions.

Iran-US tensions

Last month, tensions between Iran and the US peaked after Donald Trump directed to assassinate IRGC commander Qasem Soleimani, who was considered as the second most important important person in the country after the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. In retaliation, Iran first, in unison, passed a Bill to designate the US military as "terrorists", then fired missiles days at Iraq bases where US troops are stationed. Iranian state media claimed that '80 American terrorists' were killed in the missiles fired to Iraq. Further adding that US military equipment was "severely damaged."

READ| Iran strikes US base in Iraq: World divided, oil prices surge; everything you need to know

The tensions began after the US President pulled the country out from the crucial nuclear deal signed by the former Barack Obama administration between Iran and world powers. Following the withdrawal, Trump imposed crippling sanctions on Iran, that subsequently resulted in escalation of tensions between the two countries, that found its traces in the Strait of Hormuz, the most significant oil trade route of the world.  On the contrary, Trump had since long maintained that the 2015 nuclear deal needs to be renegotiated because it did not address Iran’s ballistic missile programme or it’s involvement in regional conflicts.