The Media Line: Iran Signals Possible Talks with Trump Administration, Prioritizing National Interests

Iran’s government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani indicated on Tuesday that Iran may consider direct talks with the Trump administration, emphasizing that Tehran will pursue “whatever secures the country’s interest and values of the revolution.” Mohajerani’s remarks, shared with a journalist from the Iranian Student News Agency, come as Donald Trump prepares to return to the US presidency.

“Whatever secures the country’s interest and values of the revolution will be pursued by the government,” Mohajerani stated, underscoring Iran’s commitment to protecting its priorities, though she did not confirm any plans for direct engagement with Trump’s team. Notably, no indication has been made by Trump or his advisors about any such talks in the lead-up to his inauguration.

During his previous term, Trump withdrew the US from the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement and reinstated sweeping sanctions under a “maximum pressure” campaign, which Mohajerani criticized as unsuccessful. “The maximum pressure campaign of Trump has failed, even if people have been burdened by it,” she noted, adding that Iran would judge any future negotiations by actions, not words. “We recommend Trump to take into account the failure of his past policies,” she said.

Efforts to revive the nuclear deal through indirect discussions under US President Joe Biden stalled despite initial progress. While Iran formally remains part of the agreement, it has scaled back its compliance in response to the re-imposed sanctions, leaving the future of US-Iran relations uncertain as Trump prepares to reassume office