Iran's Supreme Leader Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei said Tuesday that Tehran wouldn't hold talks with Washington on any level, adding that the US policy of maximum pressure will fail.
"Iranian officials will never talk to America .... this is part of their (U.S.) policy to put pressure on Iran ... their policy of maximum pressure will fail," Khamenei said as quoted by state TV.
The situation in the region has escalated recently as Saudi Arabia's Aramco oil facilities were targeted by a drone attack last Saturday. Despite responsibility claims from Houthi rebels, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was quick to follow up later Saturday by accusing Iran, tweeting that "Tehran is behind nearly 100 attacks on Saudi Arabia."
The day before, US President Donald Trump told reporters that based on evidence he's seen, it appears as though Iran was responsible for the weekend attacks on Saudi Aramco facilities.
Besides the attacks on the Saudi oil facilities, the situation in the region escalated earlier in the year in the wake of the arrest of a British tanker by Iranian authorities over alleged violations of maritime laws and attacks by unknown forces on ships in the Gulf.
Following the attacks, the US has increased its military presence in the Gulf citing an alleged Iranian threat and has called on other countries to join the patrolling efforts in the Gulf.
