Iran’s president sees ‘favorable outlook’ for US nuclear negotiations

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has expressed optimism that Thursday’s nuclear negotiations with the United States would be “favorable” as the threat of war looms over the talks.

“We see a favorable outlook for the negotiations,” Pezeshkian said. “We are continuing the process under the guidance of the supreme leader so that we can move beyond this ‘neither war nor peace’ situation.”

US and Iranian negotiators are scheduled to resume a third round of talks in Geneva on Thursday. Iran has demanded the US lift devastating economic sanctions in exchange for Tehran curbing its nuclear enrichment program, which Iran claims is solely used for peaceful purposes. The US has demanded Iran curb or end its enrichment, and sought to include ballistic missiles in the talks - a demand Iranian negotiators have refused.

Pezeshkian made the comments at a meeting with investors and economic stakeholders in Mazandaran governorate amid growing pressures on Iran’s economy. Iran’s currency has plummeted in recent months and hit record lows against the US dollar this week.

Separately, an official from the Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon told AFP that the armed group would not interfere if the US conducts “limited” strikes on Iran, but that an attack on Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would be a “red line.”

Trump last week said he was weighing limited strikes and followed by wider military operations if talks fail. The US has deployed warships and hundreds of fighter jets in the biggest military buildup in the Middle East in decades.

Trump briefly addressed the Iran talks during the annual presidential address to Congress on Tuesday, reiterating that Iran cannot have nuclear weapons capabilities.

Trump said Washington is engaged in negotiations with Iran over its nuclear and missile programs, stressing that while diplomacy is his “preference,” he is prepared to use force if talks fail.

“They want to make a deal, but we haven't heard those secret words: ‘We will never have a nuclear weapon,’” Trump said, adding that he “will never allow the world's number one sponsor of terror, which they are by far, to have a nuclear weapon.”

In a post on X on Tuesday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who is leading the talks, said, "Iran will under no circumstances ever develop a nuclear weapon."

Iran’s state-run media quoted a flurry of officials on Wednesday ahead of the talks, with Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf reiterating that Iran is not seeking nuclear weapons but warning Trump not to make the "wrong decisions."

Iran has conducted military drills near US military positions during the Februrary negotiations, with officials warning that Tehran prefers diplomacy but is prepared for war.