TEHRAN – Iranian officials and groups across the political spectrum share the view of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, who stated last week that Tehran would engage in talks with all countries except the United States, According to Government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani talking to the Tehran Times.

"When it comes to potential negotiations with Washington, there certainly is a consensus among officials in Tehran. The president, cabinet members, parliamentarians, and figures in other governmental institutions all agree that engaging with the United States is pointless, just as the Leader recently stated,” Mohajerani said during a visit to the Tehran Times building.

The spokeswoman explained that U.S. President Donald Trump's recent actions led officials to this conclusion. "The U.S. president has repeatedly said he wants to strike a deal with Iran. However, his actions contradict his words. He cannot claim to favor diplomacy while simultaneously continuing the so-called 'maximum pressure' campaign."

How Trump made Iran rule out negotiations  

In his first Iran-related action since taking office as president for the second time, Trump signed a presidential memorandum renewing the maximum pressure campaign. This campaign was initially launched in 2018 after Trump withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), an international agreement limiting Iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions removal.

“Maximum pressure” reinstated sanctions that were to be scrapped under the JCPOA, intensified existing ones, and imposed new measures. It sent Iran’s economy into a tailspin and strained the finances of ordinary Iranians, but paradoxically forced Tehran to make new headways in its nuclear program and ramp up its activities to unprecedented levels. 

President Joe Biden did not walk back the policies Trump had adopted during his first term despite initially promising to return to the Iran nuclear deal. His Secretary of State Antony Blinken even said last year that in addition to maintaining the maximum pressure campaign, Biden imposed hundreds of new sanctions on Iran. 

It remains unclear how the new U.S. administration’s measures against Iran will meaningfully differ from those of the past two administrations, as Washington appears to have exhausted its pressure tools against Tehran over the past four and half decades. However, even Trump’s largely symbolic memorandum ended up disrupting currency markets in the West Asian country, an event likely to increase inflation, a factor Western nations heavily count on to pressure the government into submission.

In remarks to Fox News, Trump said he wants a new nuclear deal with Iran, adding he prefers that to “bombing the hell” out of the country. The deal he wants is likely similar to the one the U.S. struck with Libya in 2003, which made the African nation dismantle all its nuclear sites and ship off some of the remaining nuclear technologies to the West, according to Israel’s envoy to Washington.  

Reports indicate Trump also wants Iran to curtail its missile program, cede its long- and medium-range missiles, and sever ties with Resistance forces throughout West Asia.

Mohajerani's remarks to the Tehran Times appeared accurate, given President Masoud Pezeshkian's stance during a Monday speech at a large rally in Tehran on the 46th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. "Trump keeps saying he wants a deal," Pezeshkian stated. "If you want a deal, then what are these idiotic actions? Do you really think we will trust you like this?"

Pezeshkian's words contrasted sharply with his campaign rhetoric from the summer's presidential race. The former lawmaker and health minister often clashed with his conservative rival, Saeed Jalili, who is known among the public for opposing talks with Americans. Pezeshkian had expressed optimism about reaching an agreement with the U.S. during televised debates, even appointing Iran's JCPOA negotiator, Mohammad Javad Zarif, as his Vice President for Strategic Affairs, despite legal challenges surrounding the appointment. However, Trump's intransigence and hostility seem to have dampened the enthusiasm of even the most forgiving Iranian politicians, including Pezeshkian.

What future holds for Iran

Given the low prospects for sanctions removal under current circumstances, analysts are now advising the president to pursue difficult but constructive reforms to mitigate the impact of U.S. sanctions. Pezeshkian himself stated on Monday that he plans to chart a new path with the cooperation of government bodies and the people.

“To be honest, I think sanctions may remain in place even if we agree to all of Trump’s demands and make a deal with him,” said Amir Ali Abolfath, an expert on North American affairs. “Look at Syria for instance. President Bashar al-Assad is gone and those in power today are close to both the U.S. and Israel. But Washington has not yet lifted the sanctions imposed on the country years ago.”

In the same speech where Ayatollah Khamenei ruled out talks with the U.S., he also noted that even Barack Obama, who signed the JCPOA, failed to uphold Washington’s commitments.  "The U.S. sanctions that were meant to be lifted remained in place,” the Leader stated. 

By Mona Hojat Ansari