NEW YORK (Reuters) - Two men accused of being members of a Russian organized crime group will face trial in the United States on Monday over what prosecutors call an unsuccessful Tehran-backed attempt to kill an Iranian dissident living in New York.

The Kremlin, asked on Monday if Russia had held consultations with Iran before or after Tehran responded to a letter from U.S. President Donald Trump urging the country to negotiate a nuclear deal, said Iran formulates its own policy positions.

Iran said Monday it would not negotiate under "intimidation", after US President Donald Trump sought to ratchet up pressure on Tehran by ending a sanctions waiver that had allowed Iraq to buy electricity from its Shiite neighbour.

Iran’s foreign ministry on Monday condemned the United States for rescinding a waiver allowing neighboring Iraq to import gas from Iran.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Iran will not be bullied into negotiations, a day after President Donald Trump said he sent a letter urging Tehran to negotiate.

Khamenei did not identify the United States by name but said a “bullying government” was being persistent in its push for talks.

Donald Trump said in an interview with Fox Business that he had written a letter to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, asking that negotiations be reopened.

Following President Pezeshkian's statement, hopes for negotiations between Washington and Tehran regarding Iran's nuclear program have dimmed.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks under a portrait of the late revolutionary founder Ayatollah Khomeini, as armed forces commander slisten, at rear, in a ceremony meeting a group of officials, in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, March 8, 2025. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP)