Iran sees chance for nuclear deal with U.S. even after attacks

Iran sees chance for nuclear deal with U.S. even after attacks

Washington post-July13th2025

A consensus is emerging within Iran’s fractious political scene that the country must relaunch negotiations over its nuclear program with the United States, even as mistrust remains over whether such talks could simply be the prelude to another Israeli attack, according to analysts and political observers inside and outside Iran.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi have engaged in a media blitz over the past several weeks seeking to distinguish between the U.S. and Israel, stressing that a negotiated settlement could be reached with Washington despite Israeli hostility.

In an interview with conservative media personality Tucker Carlson published last week, for instance, Pezeshkian accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of planting the idea in American minds that Iran was after a nuclear weapon but emphasized that his country could “very much easily resolve our differences and conflicts with the United States through dialogue and talks.” And in an opinion piece in the Financial Times, Araghchi said Iran and the United States “were on the cusp of a historic breakthrough” before the Israeli strikes began.

Some observers say the momentum toward resuming negotiations reflects a power struggle in Tehran that has intensified after the Israeli and American attacks last month, with those advocating a more conciliatory approach gaining influence at the expense of those favoring confrontation.

Still, there are dissenters. Hadi Masoumi Zare, a regional expert who has appeared in the past on an outlet affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, acknowledged the ongoing struggle and criticized efforts of policymakers who he said are exploiting the blows dealt by Israel to push for talks with the U.S.

In a podcast episode released last week, Masoumi Zare said, “Today, in the absence of many of these commanders, and with the feeling that this ideological and revolutionary layer has been weakened and eroded by Israel, they are trying to sell themselves and their mental model as the savior to the Iranian people.” He said this campaign was part of a broader effort to dominate Iran’s power centers.