US seeks talks as pressure campaign fails to bring desired outcome
The 12-day war waged by Israel against Iran in June and followed by direct US involvement threw a wrench into the already fragile negotiations between Tehran and Washington, leaving both sides in limbo. During that period, the US once invited Iran to “peace”, but Tehran, wary of Donald Trump’s intentions, steered clear of a direct engagement.
Months on, speculations of renewed message exchanges between Iran and the United States have begun to surface, reportedly channeled once again through Oman’s traditional mediation route. Iran’s government spokesperson confirmed receiving a message via the Foreign Ministry but kept a lid on its contents.
The key question now is whether these messages could pave the way for breaking the current diplomatic deadlock. In an exclusive interview with Iran Daily, international relations analyst Nozar Shafiei weighs in on Washington’s possible shift in tone and the prospect of a gradual move toward compromise.
IRAN DAILY: How would you interpret the nature of the recent communication? Could it mark a shift in Washington’s stance toward Tehran, or is it just part of the usual warnings and threats?
SHAFIEI: This possible message signals the emergence of a new set of circumstances following the US strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites and Israel’s attacks during the 12-day war. The fact that messages are being exchanged at all is significant, even though there might have been previous, less-publicized communications.
If Iranian officials acknowledge receiving such a message, it clearly reflects a changed environment. This message might set the stage for fresh directions in Iran-US relations, or at least inject new energy into the negotiation track.
But the crucial questions remain: Is the content threatening or conciliatory? Does it outline a roadmap for the future, or only restate old positions? Is it identical to the message Trump sent before the war and the bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities, or has it been updated with Iran’s concerns in mind?
These details will determine whether this could indeed open the door to breaking the diplomatic stalemate. From Washington’s point of view, several factors seem to be at play: first, the US believes that after bombing Iran’s nuclear facilities, Tehran has lost access to its key infrastructure, at least for now. Second, the US helped broker a truce in Gaza and may see a chance to bring Iran into a broader peace framework. In other words, since Iran received military strikes, Washington might assume Tehran could be more open to dialogue.
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