By STEPHANIE LIECHTENSTEIN and JON GAMBRELL, Associated Press

VIENNA (AP) — Iran’s supreme leader on Tuesday rejected direct negotiations with the United States over his country’s nuclear program, likely slamming the door shut on a last-ditch effort to halt the reimposition of United Nations sanctions on Tehran.

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Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s remarks, aired on Iranian state television, likely constrain any possible outreach to the U.S. by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who is in New York for the U.N. General Assembly. Separately, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held meetings with diplomats from France, Germany and the United Kingdom there over the reimposition of the sanctions, set to take effect Sunday.

Talks with the U.S. represent “a sheer dead end,” Khamenei said.

“The U.S. has announced result of the talks in advance,” he added. “The result is the closure of nuclear activities and enrichment. This is not a negotiation. It is a diktat, an imposition.”

Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul already described the chance of reaching an agreement with Iran “extremely slim” even before Khamenei’s comments, the German news agency dpa reported.

“Iran has been disregarding its obligations under the Vienna Nuclear Agreement for years,” Wadephul was reported as saying, referring to the nuclear deal that was concluded between Iran and world powers in Vienna in 2015 and aimed at preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

“We have drawn the necessary consequences from this and triggered the so-called snapback mechanism, which will reinstate international sanctions against Iran at the end of this week,” he said.

Wadephul added, however, that the three European countries — known as the E3 — will continue to negotiate with Iran even after the sanctions are back. The countries triggered the reinstatement after deciding Iran had failed to comply with conditions including the monitoring of its nuclear sites by the IAEA.

Iran has stopped inspectors, refused US talks

Amid a flurry of diplomatic engagements, Araghchi on Monday also met with Rafael Grossi, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, in New York.

Earlier this month, the U.N. nuclear watchdog and Iran signed an agreement mediated by Egypt to pave the way for resuming cooperation, including on ways of relaunching inspections of Iran’s nuclear facilities. However, that agreement has yet to fully take hold.

In July, Pezeshkian had signed a law adopted by his country’s parliament suspending all cooperation with the U.N. nuclear watchdog. That followed Israel’s 12-day war with Iran in June, during which Israel and the U.S. bombed Iranian nuclear sites.

France, Germany and the U.K. began the process of reimposing sanctions on Iran at the end of August.

The process — termed a “snapback” by the diplomats who negotiated it into Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers — was designed to be veto-proof at the U.N. It started a 30-day clock ticking for the resumption of sanctions unless the West and Iran reach a diplomatic agreement.

European nations have said they would be willing to extend the deadline if Iran resumes direct negotiations with the U.S. over its nuclear program, allows U.N. nuclear inspectors access to its nuclear sites, and accounts for the more than 400 kilograms (880 pounds) of highly enriched uranium the U.N. watchdog says it has. Iran is the only nation in the world that enriches uranium up to 60%, a short, technical step from weapons-grade levels, that does not have a weapons program.

If no diplomatic deal is found this week, the sanctions will automatically “snapback” on Sunday. That would again freeze Iranian assets abroad, halt arms deals with Tehran and penalize any development of Iran’s ballistic missile program, among other measures, further squeezing the country’s reeling economy.

Khamenei made a point in his roughly half-hour speech to say his comments focused only on America, not on Europe.

Iran maintains its atomic program is peaceful

Iran has long insisted its program is peaceful, though Western nations and the IAEA assess that Tehran had an active nuclear weapons program until 2003. Khamenei again pledged that Iran does not seek atomic bombs.

“We do not have a nuclear bomb and we will not have one, and we do not plan to use nuclear weapon,” he said.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who unilaterally withdrew America from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018, made a point to reference Tehran in his speech before the U.N. on Tuesday. He recounted writing a letter to Khamenei seeking talks. U.S. and Iranian negotiators met five times before the 12-day war in June.

“There is no more serious danger to our planet today than the most powerful and destructive weapons ever devised by man, of which the United States, as you know, has many,” Trump said. “I’ve made containing these threats a top priority, starting with (the) nation of Iran.”

However, Khamenei stressed that Israeli and American attacks would not destroy the nuclear knowledge gained by Iran over the decades over the crisis surrounding the program.

“Science will not be demolished by threats and bombing,” he vowed.

Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press writer Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report.

The Associated Press receives support for nuclear security coverage from the Carnegie Corporation of New York and Outrider Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Additional AP coverage of the nuclear landscape: https://apnews.com/projects/the-new-nuclear-landscape/

Ramsey County on Tuesday named Michael Soto as director of its Policy and Administrative Strategy division He begins next week.

Michael Soto. (Courtesy of Ramsey County)

Soto will oversee county strategic planning and support strategic alignment in racial equity, policy development and performance management, according to county officials. His work will ensure quantitative and qualitative research, evaluation and analysis in order to support county operations, according to the county.

“Michael brings a unique combination of strategic insight, technical expertise and collaborative leadership,” said Maria Sarabia, Ramsey County chief of staff. “His experience driving people-centered data strategies and building strong teams will enhance our ability to shape policies that reflect community needs.”

Soto has two decades of experience in government, nonprofits, academia and entrepreneurship. He joins Ramsey County from Hennepin County where his team worked on equity-informed analytics for housing, health, economic development and justice initiatives. He also managed the Enterprise Integrated Data System, which supports cross-departmental evaluation and insights.

He also supported Hennepin County technical staff in refining research questions and launching pilot initiatives and he redesigned onboarding processes.

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By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER, AP Economics Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Tuesday signaled a cautious approach to future interest rate cuts, in sharp contrast with other Fed officials who have called for a more urgent approach.

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In remarks in Providence, Rhode Island, Powell noted that there are risks to both of the Fed’s goals of seeking maximum employment and stable prices. But with the unemployment rate rising, he noted, the Fed agreed to cut its key rate last week. Yet he did not signal any further cuts on the horizon.

If the Fed were to cut rates “too aggressively,” Powell said, “we could leave the inflation job unfinished and need to reverse course later” and raise rates. But if the Fed keeps its rate too high for too long, “the labor market could soften unnecessarily,” he added.

Powell’s remarks echoed the caution he expressed during a news conference last week, after the Fed announced its first rate cut this year. At that time he said, “it’s challenging to know what to do.”

His approach is in sharp contrast to some members of the Fed’s rate-setting committee who are pushing for faster cuts. On Monday, Stephen Miran, whom President Donald Trump appointed to the Fed’s governing board, said that the Fed should quickly reduce its rate to as low as 2% to 2.5%, from its current level of about 4.1%. Miran is also a top adviser in the Trump administration and expects to return to the White House after his term expires in January, though Trump could appoint him to a longer term.

And earlier Tuesday, Fed governor Michelle Bowman also said the central bank should cut more quickly. Bowman, who was appointed by Trump in his first term, said inflation appears to be cooling while the job market is stumbling, a combination that would support lower rates.

When the Fed cuts its key rate, it often over time reduces other borrowing costs for things like mortgages, car loans, and business loans.

“It is time for the (Fed) to act decisively and proactively to address decreasing labor market dynamism and emerging signs of fragility,” Bowman said in a speech in Asheville, North Carolina. “We are at serious risk of already being behind the curve in addressing deteriorating labor market conditions. Should these conditions continue, I am concerned that we will need to adjust policy at a faster pace and to a larger degree going forward.”

Yet Powell’s comments showed little sign of such urgency. Other Fed officials have also expressed caution about cutting rates too fast, reflecting deepening divisions on the rate-setting committee.

On Tuesday, Austan Goolsbee, president of the Federal Reserve’s Chicago branch, said in an interview on CNBC that the Fed should move slowly given that inflation is above its 2% target.

“With inflation having been over the target for 4 1/2 years in a row, and rising, I think we need to be a little careful with getting overly up-front aggressive,” he said.

Last week the Fed cut its key rate for the first time this year to about 4.1%, down from about 4.3%, and policymakers signaled they would likely reduce rates twice more. Fed officials said in a statement that their concerns about slower hiring had risen, though they noted that inflation is still above their 2% target.

By GEIR MOULSON

ROSTOCK, Germany (AP) — Germany has committed billions to beefing up its military’s equipment after years of neglect. Now it’s trying to persuade more people to join up and serve.

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More than 3½ years after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine kick-started efforts to revitalize the Bundeswehr, the challenge of strengthening the German military has grown along with fears of the threat from Moscow.

Alongside the higher military spending that Germany and NATO allies agreed on this year, the alliance is encouraging members to increase personnel numbers. Berlin wants to add tens of thousands of service members.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz says that “because of its size and its economic strength, Germany is the country that must have the strongest conventional army in NATO on the European side.” He hasn’t defined that goal in detail, but the tone underscores a shift in a country that emerged only gradually from its post-World War II military reticence after reunification in 1990.

Earlier this month, the military’s top brass watched as a ferry packed with armored vehicles was escorted out of the Baltic port of Rostock, drones were intercepted in the air and on the water and fighter jets circled above. That was part of an exercise focused on moving troops and equipment to Lithuania — an ally on NATO’s eastern flank where modern Germany is stationing a brigade abroad on a long-term basis for the first time.

“Credible deterrence requires operational readiness,” said the Bundeswehr’s chief of staff, Gen. Carsten Breuer. “And operational readiness requires matériel, personnel, training and … exercising, exercising, exercising.”

Military faces intersecting challenges

There’s plenty to do on both matériel and personnel, in a country where the military was often viewed with indifference or suspicion given the legacy of the Nazi past.

Germany suspended conscription for men in 2011 and subsequently struggled to attract large numbers of short-term volunteers. In recent years, the number of military personnel has hovered just above 180,000 — compared with 300,000, more than a third conscripts, in 2001. Now the government wants to raise it to 260,000 over the next decade, and says it will also need around 200,000 reservists, more than double the current figure.

New recruits of the German Army Bundeswehr attend a ceremony to take their oath in front of the North Rhine-Westphalia state parliament in Duesseldorf, Germany, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Better pay is one way to make the Bundeswehr more attractive, said Thomas Wiegold, a defense policy expert who runs the Augen geradeaus! military blog. But a key issue is fixing the military’s longstanding equipment problems, “because a force that doesn’t have enough tanks, that doesn’t have enough ships, that also doesn’t have enough barracks, is not particularly attractive for applicants.”

F-35 fighter jets, Chinook transport helicopters, Leopard 2 tanks, frigates and other hardware are on order after a 100 billion-euro ($117 billion) special fund was set up in 2022 to modernize the Bundeswehr, but they will take time to arrive. This year, Merz’s new coalition enabled higher spending by loosening strict rules on incurring debt, a big step for a historically debt-averse nation.

After conscription was suspended, the Bundeswehr gave up 48 barracks. A report by the parliamentary commissioner for the military earlier this year said that some remaining barracks and other facilities are still in a “disastrous” state after years of penny-pinching. A program to build new military accommodation now aims to build 76 new buildings by 2031.

Persuading more people to serve

The Cabinet last month approved plans for a new military service system meant to tackle the personnel challenge. It foresees more attractive pay and conditions for people who join up on a short-term basis, better training and more flexibility on how long people can serve.

The aim is to draw sufficient recruits without reviving conscription, an idea unpopular with the center-left junior partner in Merz’s coalition, but the plan leaves the door open to do so if not enough people volunteer.

In a first step beginning next year, the government plans to send questionnaires to young men and women turning 18 about their willingness and ability to serve, which men will be required to answer. Starting in mid-2027, young men will be required to undergo medical examinations, though not to sign up for the military.

“I think what is happening now is above all preparation for compulsory service that is possible later, because not only was compulsory service suspended in Germany 14 years ago, but also the whole apparatus to administer compulsory service was scrapped,” Wiegold said. “It is now gradually being built up again.”

There’s widespread skepticism in Merz’s conservative bloc that some kind of conscription can be avoided. It’s shared by the head of the BundeswehrVerband, essentially a union for service members.

“We must not suggest to people in this country that this growth will certainly happen voluntarily — I strongly doubt that,” its head, Col. André Wüstner, said in an interview on German public television, suggesting that Germany should move “step by step” to compulsory service.

Raising esteem for the military

Wiegold noted that the military has had a different status in modern Germany than in countries such as Britain, France and the U.S. because of the country’s history, and consequently there’s no “great enthusiasm” to join up. But the invasion of Ukraine means that “the perception of the Bundeswehr as an important element of Germany has become much greater.”

New recruits of the German Army Bundeswehr attend a ceremony to take their oath in front of the North Rhine-Westphalia state parliament in Duesseldorf, Germany, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Authorities have worked to raise esteem for military service. Ads exhorting people to consider joining the military have shown up on pizza boxes, kebab wrappers and elsewhere. The Bundeswehr has sent personalized postcards to 16 and 17 year olds pointing to career opportunities. Its social media efforts include a “Bundeswehr career” channel on TikTok.

In June, Germany marked an annual “veterans’ day” for the first time. Recruits are being honored with swearing-in ceremonies in prominent places — recently, for example, outside the regional parliament of North Rhine-Westphalia, the country’s most populous state.

One of the newly trained recruits in Duesseldorf, a 21-year-old woman who like others was only permitted to give her first name, Lina, said that the state of the world “is getting ever more tense and, if no one goes into this service, who will do it?”

Another, 26-year-old Vincent, said that he wanted to contribute to the defense of Germany and its European allies, “and I can’t say that’s important and not do something for it myself.”

Kerstin Sopke in Berlin, Daniel Niemann in Duesseldorf and Pietro De Cristofaro in Rostock, contributed to this report.