There is now speculation Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has declared war on the nuclear program and is prepared to go to the United States to end it. But recent news is far more convoluted and far from settled but it is what it truly is at issue.
Since then, Trump has also claimed to have had “productive conversations” with Iranian representatives as well, and announced that a slight pause in planned military strikes were being held up. The idea that Iran can be in talks at various aspects - and even negotiate in talks and possibly even get out of war-making status is intriguing to some Iranians.
But it is never verified that Mojtaba Khamenei has already agreed to end the war or directly talk with the US. In fact, there’s been great confusion about Iran’s executive and who’s actually making decisions. Even speculation that one thing has been missing under the leadership of Khamenei since he took power:
At the ground level, Iran’s earlier stance has been extremely hardline. Senior officials and political leaders in leadership have said they want to fight on and not concede under pressure, calling for guarantees, compensation, and recognition of Iran’s rights as being considered legitimate and therefore, key.
Some indirect diplomacy is happening at the same time). Reports imply that officials at the same time such as the Iranian Parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, could be involved in backchannel channels involved with the US and may play some sort of intermediary role. Also the country that has held many indirect negotiations are Turkey, Egypt and Pakistan.
Despite these developments, Iran has so far denied talks to Washington, when there’s no confirmed sign of a tangible settlement. So the notion of a “deal” or peace could be premature, and much more political signal rather than concrete agreement.
The broader geopolitical situation is far from settled and continues to be highly volatile with military tensions, disrupting the global oil supply routes like across the Strait of Hormuz and uncertainty about the leadership authority in Iran.
Though diplomatic signals are starting to emerge there is no concrete agreement that Iran has made progress for the end of the war. But in coming hours there will be a critical indication of whether backchannel talks become formal talks-or if there may remain a war on the side of the front.
