Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has rejected a proposal by United States President Donald Trump to renew talks on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program,

Last week, Trump said he had sent a letter to Khamenei proposing nuclear talks. At the same time, the president, who killed the 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran, warned that “there are two ways Iran can be handled: militarily, or you make a deal.”

Trump’s letter was reportedly handed over to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on March 12 by Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the president of the United Arab Emirates.

While Araghchi and Gargash were meeting, Khamenei told a group of university students that Trump’s offer for talks was “a deception.” The supreme leader noted however that he had not yet seen the letter.

“When we know they won’t honor it, what’s the point of negotiating? Therefore, the invitation to negotiate…is a deception of public opinion,” Khamenei was quoted as saying by Iranian state media.

Khamenei said that any talks with the Trump administration “will tighten the knot of sanctions and increase pressure on Iran.”

After assuming office earlier this year, Trump reinstated his “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran with the aim of draining the country both politically and economically. Washington’s move came amid increasing threats to Tehran by Israel.

Iran denies wanting to develop a nuclear weapon. However, its nuclear program continues to expand. The International Atomic Energy Agency said last month that the country’s stock of uranium enriched to up to 60% purity, close to the roughly 90% weapons-grade level, has grown.

“If we wanted to build nuclear weapons, the U.S. would not be able to stop it. We ourselves do not want it,” Khamenei stressed on March 12.

The supreme leader also said: “Iran is not seeking war, but if the Americans or their agents take a wrong step, our response will be decisive and certain, and the one who will suffer the most harm is America.”

Despite the verbal escalation between the U.S. and Iran, the two countries will likely favor a diplomatic approach in the end. Still, Israel, which wants to end the Iranian nuclear program, could drag Washington into a direct confrontation with Tehran.

While Israel came out on top after the wars with Iran’s allies in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, a confrontation in the Persian Gulf will have more serious consequences, especially on the economical levels.