Iran ready to reopen nuclear talks despite raids

Pezeshkian and Araghchi seek channel with Washington. Tension with Israel remains high, but Tehran remains open to negotiations

Despite the American and Israeli raids in recent weeks, Iran continues to believe that a resumption of negotiations with the United States on its nuclear programme is possible. This is according to the Washington Post, which reports that a pragmatic line aimed at dialogue is taking hold among the leaders of the Islamic Republic, despite the context of strong mistrust and tension.

President Masoud Pezeshkian and the new Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi are trying to separate the confrontation with Washington from Israel’s hostility, keeping diplomatic channels open. Pezeshkian, in an interview with Tucker Carlson, accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of negatively influencing American policy by fuelling the idea that Tehran is seeking nuclear weapons. But he also added that “tensions with the US could be easily resolved through dialogue”.

Araghchi, in an editorial in the Financial Times, also recalled that before the recent escalation, the two sides were “one step away from a historic agreement”, reiterating Iran’s willingness to continue negotiations.

According to numerous analysts, this renewed openness reflects a change in the internal balance of the regime, with the proponents of dialogue gaining ground over the more hardline factions linked to the Revolutionary Guards following the raids. However, strong resistance remains: analyst Hadi Masoumi Zare, formerly linked to the Pasdaran, accused moderates of wanting to exploit the current situation to strengthen their political influence.

Despite the attacks on three nuclear plants and strategic installations on Iranian territory, Tehran has maintained its official position unchanged: it claims the right to produce nuclear fuel for civilian purposes and denies any intention of acquiring nuclear weapons.

The most significant signal, according to observers, is that Iran, despite being hit militarily, has not closed the door to dialogue. On the contrary, it is betting on a possible agreement to break out of isolation, defuse new crises and redefine relations with the West.

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(Photo: © AndKronos)