Is Iran seeking direct negotiations with the US? This is the question being raised in media and political circles after Donald Trump, the President of the United States, made statements last night. Trump claimed that Iran no longer wants to use intermediaries and is seeking direct talks. However, no Iranian official has responded to this claim so far.
Trump stated in his remarks, "Forget about the letters with Iran. I think Iran wants to negotiate directly. They are worried and feel vulnerable." These statements come at a time when the US's maximum pressure policy against Iran continues unchanged, with no shift in this strategy observed."
Tehran's Silence: A Calculated Strategy
Iran has not responded to these statements so far. This silence can be a sign of Tehran's lack of trust in Washington's policies. Experience has shown that the US government, especially during Trump's era, has not been committed to its obligations and has turned the negotiation path into a tool for exerting more pressure.
Ali Larijani, an advisor to the Supreme Leader, recently emphasized that Iran is committed to its nuclear policies and is ready to cooperate with the West economically, but threats and pressure can change the situation. These positions demonstrate Iran's strategic stability in the face of the US's wavering policies.
Negotiation or Propaganda Show?
Iran has always seen negotiation as a diplomatic tool to protect its national interests, not as a goal in itself. The nuclear agreement, JCPOA, was formed on this basis; with the logic that both the West's concerns about Iran's peaceful nuclear program would be alleviated and Tehran could expand its economic interactions. However, the US's withdrawal from the JCPOA and imposition of widespread sanctions showed that Washington is not willing to maintain this agreement.
Now that Trump is talking about direct negotiations, the question arises as to whether this is a real change in US policy or just a new tactic to increase pressure on Iran. Without practical action from the US, these claims seem more like a propaganda show than a serious proposal.
Is Washington Ready to Abandon its Policy of Threats?
Larijani recently stated that if the US is really seeking to reduce tensions, it should think about creating mutual economic benefits instead of threats and sanctions. This is the same logic that Iran has been pursuing from the beginning of the JCPOA negotiations. But is Trump willing to take this path?
As long as the policies of pressure and sanctions continue, Tehran sees no reason to change its positions. Any negotiations require a trust-building background, and in conditions where the US continues to insist on its confrontational policies, it is difficult to imagine the opening of a diplomatic path. Therefore, perhaps Iran's silence in response to Trump's claim is an indirect answer; a message that says: "Act first, then talk!"
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