US President Donald Trump said Washington and Tehran would hold another round of talks next week, but hours later, a source close to Iran’s mission to the UN said Tehran has no plans to meet US officials, adding that Iran’s position was already conveyed “clearly and specifically” to Washington through Qatari mediators last Tuesday. Tehran is awaiting a response from Washington before deciding whether to proceed with another round of negotiations, the source said.
The differing signals suggest that there is a disconnect both on the substance of negotiations and who should make the next move.
Tehran wants Washington to ease pressure first, while Washington wants to see concrete steps from Iran before considering any concessions. Those differences have kept diplomacy at a stalemate, although both sides have signaled that dialogue is not ruled out.
