Tehran Prepares for the Third Round of Talks

Assessing the initial and subsequent rounds of bilateral negotiations with the United States, Iranian officials have expressed surprise at the rapid pace of diplomatic engagement. This acceleration is primarily ascribed to the limited scope of U.S. demands, the relative inexperience or subject-matter unfamiliarity of U.S. negotiators, a pronounced strategic urgency to secure an agreement, and the personalized and unconventional diplomatic style characteristic of President Donald J. Trump. Nonetheless, the trajectory toward a comprehensive accord remains encumbered by persistent structural and political impediments. 

• April 22: Reformist Entekhab News, quoting Qatari-owned, London-based Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, reported: 
  • “Informed Iranian sources told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that diplomatic engagement between Iran and the United States is advancing ‘beyond expectations … U.S. negotiators have demonstrated seriousness and have refrained from raising extraneous or unattainable demands … Even regarding the nuclear dossier, the ceiling of U.S. demands is relatively moderate, generating diplomatic momentum … the United States has acknowledged the principle of Iran’s sovereign right to uranium enrichment.’”  
  • Entekhab reported that Al-Araby Al-Jadeed further disclosed negotiations between the United States and Iran are taking place based on the Iranian delegation’s April 12 proposal that limited the scope of the debate to “nuclear-related issues and sanctions relief,” and Iranian sources “anticipate that a bilateral agreement between Tehran and Washington may be achievable within the coming months or possibly even sooner.” 
• April 22: Reformist Etemad published an interview with Mohsen Hashemi Rafsanjani, son of late President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, in which he urged Iranian negotiators to take advantage of President Donald J. Trump’s idiosyncrasies: 
  • “Historically, Trump has demonstrated a predisposition for attention seeking – an attribute that can be strategically leveraged … He is cultivating a personality cult that can similarly be exploited … He appears to have recognized that maximalist coercive strategies against Iran are untenable and has pivoted toward minimalist objectives. This incremental, step-by-step approach requires vigilance to ensure that excessive demands are not reintroduced. Iran must capitalize on the temporal window, allow Trump to claim diplomatic success, and avoid provocation. This will enable Iran to maintain enrichment activities while pursuing sanctions relief.” 
• April 22: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, on X, released the full text of his planned address to the Carnegie Nuclear Policy Program, which was canceled. In key paragraphs, Araghchi’s prepared speech argued: 
  • “The catastrophic mistakes of previous administrations … have cost American taxpayers trillions of dollars in our region—with zero gains for the United States … the trillion-dollar opportunity that our economy presents may be open to U.S. enterprises. This includes companies which can help us generate clean electricity from non-hydrocarbon sources … Our longstanding game plan is to build at least 19 more reactors, meaning that tens of billions of dollars in potential contracts are up for grabs. The Iranian market alone is big enough to revitalize the struggling nuclear industry in the United States.” 
• April 23: Reformist outlet Arman-e Melli provided an interpretive analysis of the text of Araghchi’s address: 
  • “The crux of the Iran-U.S. diplomatic impasse no longer appears to center on uranium enrichment levels or Iran’s unresolved files with the International Atomic Energy Agency. Rather, the principal axis of contention is economic in nature. Washington has articulated specific prerequisites for reengagement in Iran’s economy, and Tehran seems attuned to these conditions in this round of negotiations. This economic focus may serve as a catalyst for substantive diplomatic progress.” 
• April 23: Nour News Agency, a media affiliate of the Supreme National Security Council, released a strategic commentary on the anticipated expert-level talks between Iranian and U.S. representatives: 
  • “A significant feature of Saturday’s diplomatic engagement is the inclusion of U.S. Treasury officials within the American negotiating delegation. As reported by CNN, the presence of State Department personnel further underscores the prioritization of financial and economic dimensions – specifically sanctions relief – as the core of these technical discussions. This composition suggests a potential shift toward pragmatic mechanisms for facilitating banking transactions, unfreezing Iranian financial assets, and mitigating impediments to Iran’s oil and energy exports.” 
  • “While the parallel progression of political and technical-level negotiations signals potential momentum, the ultimate outcome remains uncertain. Analysts argue that any prospective agreement will require surmounting intricate technical hurdles and undertaking politically consequential decisions. Consequently, all eyes are fixed on Saturday – an inflection point that may be etched in history either as a reiteration of strategic deadlock or as a diplomatic breakthrough in U.S.-Iran relations.” 
• April 23: Reacting to a report published by the Institute for Science and International Security that asserts Iran is fortifying buried nuclear sites, Araghchi posted on X: 
  • “The attempts by the Israeli regime and certain Special Interest groups to derail diplomacy—using variety of tactics—is abundantly clear for all to see.” 
• April 23: Hossein Shariatmadari, editor-in-chief of hard-line Kayhan, issued a polemical response to the latest tranche of U.S. sanctions targeting Iranian nationals and entities: 
  • “The imposition of new sanctions by the United States – synchronized with the initial rounds of negotiations – can hardly be viewed as coincidental. These measures transmit a clear strategic message. Likewise, President Trump’s direct communication with Benjamin Netanyahu, affirming alignment on all major issues, reinforces the perception that Washington is not genuinely committed to reaching a mutually acceptable accord with the Islamic Republic.” 

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