- The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused the US of a ‘blatant violation’ of a ceasefire on April 8, stating the attacks validated Iran's ‘deep suspicion’ towards the US.
- Senior lawmaker Abbas Moghtadaei stated, ‘The fundamental principle is distrust towards America’ regarding the Iranian perspective on negotiations with the US.
- Iranian leadership voices concerns that any agreement with the US could lead to intelligence access or preparation for further attacks, framing it as a need for managed stabilisation.
- President Masoud Pezeshkian assured the international community, ‘we are not after nuclear weapons, we are not after insecurity in the region.’
- IRGC commander Majid Mousavi remarked, ‘As our martyred imam said, negotiating with the enemy is pure loss’ regarding the approach to US negotiations.
- In his first public message, Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, pledged, ‘there will be no retreat’ on negotiations with the US.
- IRGC commander Ahmad Vahidi expressed readiness to resume military confrontations with the US if necessary.
- Analyst Alex Vatanka highlighted that Iranian decision-makers are wary of giving up leverage in negotiations with the US regarding future disputes.
Iran has expressed deep suspicions toward the United States in the context of negotiations meant to end ongoing conflicts. Lawmaker Abbas Moghtadaei highlighted a fundamental principle of this situation as distrust in remarks to state television.3
Following a recent attack from Washington on the southern province of Hormozgan, the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs characterized the U.S. actions as a blatant violation of the ceasefire established on April 8. This incident has exacerbated the already prevalent doubts among Iranian officials regarding the U.S.'s intentions. Moghtadaei's comments come alongside sentiments from military leaders, with IRGC commander Ahmad Vahidi voicing readiness to resume military confrontations if required.128
According to senior fellow Alex Vatanka, there's a profound concern in Tehran not just about negotiating a bad deal, but about potentially losing crucial leverage in future disputes. He underscored the necessity for Tehran to frame any deal in a way that doesn't appear as capitulation under military pressure, but rather as a managed stabilization that safeguards its sovereign interests.9
Ultimately, any agreement must align with Iran's goal of maintaining regional security without pursuing nuclear weapons, as declared by President Masoud Pezeshkian. The ongoing war negotiations are intricately tied to these complex sentiments of distrust and the pressing need for Iran to protect its perceived red lines.5
“Iran highlights ongoing distrust towards the US in the context of negotiations aimed at ending the war. This sentiment is reinforced by statements from key Iranian officials about the consequences of any agreement.”
