Iranian leader's restrictions unlikely to yield results in US talks, expert says

Iranian affairs expert Wijdan Abdulrahman has ruled out any breakthrough in negotiations between Iran and the United States, arguing that the restrictions imposed by Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei on the government's negotiating powers will not help achieve results, especially as the Iranian regime remains firm in its positions and is preparing for the possibility of renewed military confrontation.

Speaking in an interview with Al Arabiya FM about Khamenei granting the Iranian government limited authority to negotiate with Washington, Abdulrahman said, "The Supreme Leader has set restrictions that will not benefit negotiations with America and will not lead to any results," adding, "I do not believe there will be any breakthrough in the negotiations."

The researcher explained that the Iranian regime is preparing for military confrontation, noting that Tehran has shown no flexibility in the talks. He pointed out that the Iranian leadership is highly attentive to US threats, which is reflected, in his view, in its hardline statements about expanding the scope of conflict to additional regions.

On the other hand, Abdulrahman noted that the Iranian regime fears US strikes on the country's infrastructure, despite broadening its threats to regional and external targets.

He added that stalled negotiations could increase pressure on US President Donald Trump to launch more impactful strikes, targeting not only the Iranian regime but also the country's economy and infrastructure.

Abdulrahman linked Tehran's concerns about this scenario to the potential impact of strikes on vital facilities for Iranian citizens, explaining that attacks on infrastructure could increase public pressure on the regime.