Iran president: We aren’t trying to kill Trump

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has denied that Tehran is seeking to assassinate US President Donald Trump, insisting such an act has never been the government’s position.

Speaking to journalists at a New York hotel on Thursday, Pezeshkian said Iran has “never been the position [of the Iranian government], overtly or covertly, to seek to assassinate Trump or his family members,” according to CNN.

The remarks came amid longstanding US accusations that Iran has plotted against Trump. Pezeshkian also discussed Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei’s health, saying he was “quite healthy” and that he had seen no major health or physical concerns.

On the war, Pezeshkian said Iran remained open to negotiations while refusing to surrender to US pressure. He said, “We have problems. Unprecedentedly difficult problems,” while describing US sanctions as a “silent murderous campaign.”

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi separately said Tehran had proposed conditions for restarting negotiations and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.