Hope on Iranian nuclear conversations, hardened threats and mixed messages

As Iran and the US are preparing a second round of nuclear negotiations in Rome, the hopes for de -escalation are hardened through military threats and mixed messages.

US President Donald Trump reminds Tehran almost every day of his options: transactions or war.

He said earlier that Israel would keep a military response if the negotiations did not succeed.

On Wednesday, the New York Times reported that Trump was “waving” the Israeli plan on the impact of Iran’s nuclear sites next month.

“I wouldn’t say I waved it off. I am not in a hurry to do it,” Trump told reporters in response to an article on Thursday, adding that he preferred a chance to give a diplomacy.

“I think Iran has the opportunity to have a wonderful country and live happily without death … This is my first option. If there is the second option, I think it would be very bad for Iran.”

After the two sides called the first round of negotiations to Oman last weekend as constructive, Trump said he “would make a decision on Iran very soon.”

In 2018, Trump pulled the US from the 2015 Agreement, in which Iran restricts its nuclear activity and allowed to check the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in return for sanctions.

He said it did too little to stop Iran’s potential way to nuclear weapons and resumed US sanctions as part of the maximum pressure campaign to force Iran to agree on a new deal.

However, Iran refused and increasingly violated the restrictions in retaliation. Now he has accumulated a sufficiently enriched uranium to do a few bombs when he decided to do it – what he says will never.

The threat of hostilities appears to have played a role in Iran’s return to the negotiating table. And yet it insists that this is not the reason.

On the website of the Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran had agreed to the negotiations only because the United States had restricted its demands strictly nuclear problems – not with the fear of us and Israeli blows.

However, the achievement of the transaction remains far from definite.

A special Messenger of Trump in the Middle East Steve Witcoff, who is conducting the US negotiation team on Tuesday: “Any final agreement should create the basis for peace, stability and prosperity in the Middle East – that is, Iran must stop and eliminate its nuclear enrichment and program.”

It only happened a day after he suggested in an interview with Fox News that Iran would continue to enrich uranium.

“They do not need to enrich over the last 3.67%,” he said, citing the limit established by the 2015 nuclear transaction.

“It will be a lot about checking the enrichment program and then eventually checking armed weapons.”

Foreign Minister Iran Abbas Arakhchi, head of the Iranian delegation, replied, noting that “conflicting statements” Vitco and emphasizing that “real positions will be understood at the negotiating table.”

“We are ready to create confidence about possible problems about the enrichment of Iran, but the principle of enrichment is not a contractual,” he said.

Negotiations on this Saturday in Rome come against the backdrop of diplomatic activity.

Saudi Arabia Defense Minister, Prince Khalid Bin Salman, visited Tehran Thursday, delivering a personal message from King Salman’s father to Ayatollah Khamenei. He also met President Iran Masud Pescin.

Iran warned that any US military action would be met with revenge to US bases in the region – many of them take Iran’s Arab neighbors.

At the same time, Arakhchi visited Moscow and handed a letter from Hamenia to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Iran and Russia have strengthened their military ties from the beginning of the war in Ukraine, and Tehran has accused the drones to support Moscow’s military efforts.

The Russian Parliament ratified a 20-year strategic partnership between Iran and Russia 10 days ago. However, the deal does not include a mutual defense item.

Meanwhile, this week, the IAEA leader Rafael Grosi ended a two -day visit to Tehran, meeting with Iranian nuclear officials and the Foreign Minister, trying to ease tensions and restore the inspection reports.

Since Trump has returned to the post this year, Ayatollah Homena invariably announced negotiations with Washington.

“Negotiations with this administration are not logical, not wise or honorable,” he said in February, just two months before agreeing with the current talks.

The distrust of the supreme leader is connected with the exit of Trump from the nuclear transaction, the “maximum pressure” that took place, and the murder of General Kesem Saleimani as a result of the US strike in 2020.

Ayatollah Khamenei expressed satisfaction with the first round of negotiations, saying he was “well implemented”.

But he warned that he was “neither excessively optimistic nor excessively pessimistic”.

Previously, he also warned that Iran would avenge in the event of a strike on his nuclear program.

Some officials, including his advisor Ali Larijani, even said Iran could be “forced” to buy nuclear weapons when attacking.

“We do not pursue weapons, and we do not have problems with the IAEA – even endless. But if you turn to the bombing, Iran will have nothing else how to reconsider. This is not in your interest,” Larijani state television said earlier this month.

Each side pushes its own story on how negotiations are underway.

The US says they are straight. Iran says they are indirect, and that Oman is mediation through the exchange of written notes.

After the first round in Muscat Arachchi acknowledged that after crossing the paths, there was a short exchange with Vitco “with diplomatic courtesy”.

The US news news, citing sources, said the two main participants talked for up to 45 minutes.

Tehran prefers secrets. Washington is looking for advertising.

After both sides have made positive statements about the first round, Iran’s currency rose by 20%.

Iran’s leadership is well aware of the public dissatisfaction in the harsh economic conditions of the country – and the potential for protests can cause.

For the Islamic Republic, fear is not just over bombs – it is also protests.