TEHRAN – U.S. President Donald Trump knows that he cannot “fight” Iran, interim Friday prayer leader Ahmad Khatami told worshippers in Tehran.

Pointing to U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent remarks that he does not seek regime change in Iran, Khatami said, “Trump surely knows that he cannot fight the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

Praising anti-American remarks by Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a Thursday meeting with the visiting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Khatami said, “Those were the words of a prudent, shrewd, and vigilant leader and we are proud for having such a leader.”

In his meeting with Abe, Ayatollah Khamenei said Trump is not worthy of a response or a message, stressing that negotiations with Washington cannot help solve any problem.

Khatami hailed the Leader’s strong tone, saying, “This is the style the Prophet has ordered, to show arrogance when you see an arrogant person, to humiliate them.”

The cleric added Trump is seeking to win votes in the 2020 presidential elections by offering talks with Iran.

“Trump is trying to raise votes, and to do that he needs to bring Iran to the negotiation table. But he will take that wish to the grave.” 

SP/PA