Iran expresses pessimism ahead of US talks as official questions American response

Iran has expressed deep skepticism regarding recent negotiations with the United States, warning that conflict could potentially escalate to Europe. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei, speaking at a conference in Tehran, admitted that Iran was willing to engage in diplomatic efforts but harbored little confidence in Washington's intentions.

He pointed to previous US military actions during negotiations as evidence of the US lack of good faith. Baghaei accused the United States of attacking Iran twice while negotiations were underway and of breaching commitments reached under the Islamabad understanding. Iranian officials have laid out seven conditions that they believe must be met before negotiations can advance, including the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the lifting of the US naval blockade.

Iran has rejected the US response to its proposals as inadequate, with Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei arguing that Washington must explicitly address all seven conditions and implement them. Despite some US acceptance of Iran's demands, key issues remain unresolved. Iran maintains that its diplomatic proposal remains on the table, though the implementation timeline has been shortened from seven days to a possible two-day window if US demands are met.

Diplomatic contacts between the two nations have persisted through intermediaries, though a breakthrough has yet to be achieved. The Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil and gas shipments, has remained significantly disrupted since the war began in February, with Iran citing the US intransigence as the reason for its ongoing closure.