Many Iranians had been sceptical on Saturday about the potential for the Islamic republic opening negotiations with the US below Donald Trump, given the fractured historical past he has with Tehran.
On Thursday, The New York Occasions reported that tech billionaire and Trump ally Elon Musk had met Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations in a bid to defuse tensions between the 2 international locations.
Iran on Saturday “categorically” denied that any such assembly had taken place.
America and Iran had been as soon as shut allies, however broke off diplomatic relations in 1980 shortly after the Islamic revolution that toppled the Washington-backed Pahlavi dynasty.
Ties have been frozen ever since. Views are exchanged not directly through the Swiss embassy in Tehran, which represents US pursuits in Iran, or by Oman, which acts as an middleman.
After Trump’s election victory on November 5, Tehran despatched a sign of extra openness and referred to as on him to undertake a brand new coverage in the direction of Iran.
Throughout his first time period between 2017 and 2021, Trump imposed a coverage generally known as “most strain” in opposition to Iran.
This included Washington tearing up a deal on Iran’s nuclear programme negotiated below his predecessor, Barack Obama.
Trump reintroduced heavy sanctions, which the present US administration of Joe Biden has maintained.
“It is unlikely that he would wish to speak to Iran,” non-public sector worker Saeid Sohrabi instructed AFP of the US president-elect.
“If their pursuits are served by making peace, they may accomplish that. And in the event that they’re served by warfare, they may go down that path,” the 53-year-old mentioned in Tehran’s upscale Vanak district, identified for its purchasing malls.
– Galloping inflation –
President Masoud Pezeshkian, who took workplace in Iran in July, has mentioned he sought to enhance ties with the West and revive the 2015 nuclear deal to shore up the financial system.
Overseas Minister Abbas Araghchi mentioned on Wednesday that oblique channels of communication with the US had been nonetheless lively.
“Folks suppose that as a result of Trump is a businessman he could make a cope with Iran,” mentioned pupil Ms. Adasi, who didn’t wish to give her first title.
“Our present authorities is a reformist one, so it is extra inclined and fascinated by negotiations,” mentioned the 25-year-old.
However she too famous that the long run American administration “seems to be extra like a authorities of warfare than of peace, commerce or negotiation”.
The collapse of the 2015 deal between Tehran and world powers has taken a toll on peculiar individuals in Iran, who’re grappling with galloping inflation and a pointy depreciation of the rial in opposition to the US greenback.
Trump on Wednesday named Marco Rubio as his secretary of state to go up US diplomacy, and he’s identified to be a hawk relating to Iran and China.
“The Iranian nation could be very sort and does not need a lot,” mentioned Fatemeh Salehi.
“The individuals of Iran simply want peace and a standard financial system,” added the 72-year-old housewife, talking on a bustling roadside within the capital the place garments and handicrafts are bought.
