The White House’s surprise move to offer direct negotiations with Iran has sent shockwaves through the corridors of power in Tehran. According to leaked diplomatic cables seen by this newspaper, the Rouhani administration has been left scrambling after failing to secure backing from its traditional allies in Moscow and Beijing for a united front against President Trump’s overture.
The proposal, which would see the lifting of some sanctions in exchange for a verifiable halt to uranium enrichment, has exposed a bitter schism within the Iranian leadership. Hardliners, led by the Revolutionary Guards, have denounced the initiative as a 'poisoned chalice', while pragmatists see it as a last resort to salvage an economy battered by inflation and unemployment.
But the real sting for Tehran came from its inability to rally support. European diplomats, weary of years of nuclear brinkmanship, have privately welcomed the American shift. 'The EU cannot afford another crisis,' a senior French official confided. 'Iran’s economy is in freefall and its shadow war in the region is bleeding it dry.'
Meanwhile, the Kremlin, which has supplied Iran with advanced air defence systems, has maintained a studied neutrality. President Putin’s spokesman stated that Moscow would 'observe the dialogue with interest', a phrase interpreted by analysts as a green light for the US to proceed.
For ordinary Iranians, the prospect of peace is a glimmer of hope. In the bazaars of Isfahan, merchants speak of the cost of war in bread and medicine. 'We have been told to resist, but resistance is expensive,' said a carpet seller, his voice low. 'If this talks can bring down prices, then let them talk.'
Yet the odds remain steep. The Trump administration has made no secret of its desire to permanently degrade Iran’s nuclear programme. And the hardliners in Tehran, cornered and isolated, may yet turn to sabotage or escalation to regain the initiative. For now, however, the diplomatic calculus has shifted: Iran is no longer the master of its own doorstep.
