In a speech at Bushehr University on April 22, former Iranian nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili argued that Iran and the United States cannot have a relationship because of how America views its role in the world. Jalili, who is Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s representative to the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), was Iran’s lead nuclear negotiator from 2007 to 2013, when he was the secretary of the SNSC. The Iran-Iraq war veteran is one of the most vocal voices against better ties with the West.

“Every foreign policy is a paradigm, in which considered principles, goals, and values and interests and rights are described, that give shape to opportunities for cooperation or confrontation,” Jalili said. On the United States and Iran, Jalili asked, “Why do we have a special approach and outlook toward the United States of America?”

He said that to understand this special relationship and “to understand well the America of today, study two texts; first, read America’s fact sheet after the Lausanne agreement; second, review carefully the US 2015 National Security Strategy.”

Jalili said there were four stated strategies that Iran should consider when observing the United States. The first point was the strategy that stipulated that “American global leadership remains indispensable.” The second was that the United States “will act unilaterally against threats.” The third point was that the "international order" that has been created must continue with America’s continuous strong leadership. And the fourth point was that American leadership in a changing world must be based on American “values."