Interview with Iran View 24, dated 18th November, 2025 -
The interview was in Persian and the translation below was done by Ai.
Sasan Karimi, an international analyst, responded in an interview with Iran View 24 regarding the recent remarks by the Foreign Minister stating that Iran has new initiatives for negotiations, saying:
For the formation of any negotiation, even if it does not have preliminary stages, several essential requirements must be met. First, the political will of all major parties involved in the negotiation. Second, the clarification of a vision of interests for the parties involved. Third, the proposals and initiatives that each actor must bring to the table.
He continued: It appears that in previous and potential negotiations between Iran and the United States, these layers, particularly in terms of political will and initiatives, have consistently faced challenges, and the negotiation process has not moved along the correct path.
The university professor added: In analyzing the region, Arab countries, considering the threats posed by Israel, have changed their views compared to the past and now regard a powerful Iran as a factor that can contribute to regional stability, especially in interaction with Turkey and, to some extent, Pakistan. However, the Zionist regime remains one of the influential actors and the main obstacle in the path of Iran-U.S. negotiations, exerting the greatest degree of disruption in any process.
Karimi stated that he believes: At this level, no new development has occurred. The political will on the part of the United States has not increased compared to the past, the removal of Israeli interference has not changed, and no tangible new initiatives from either Iran or the United States have been observed.
He continued: Mr. Araqchi has stated that Iran is prepared for both war and negotiations. However, this position is mostly defensive and reactive; meaning that Iran is prepared to respond to any possible action by the United States, but it would be better for the initiative to originate from Tehran. This initiative should not be unilateral or without coordination, and it requires consultation with the United States as well. In other words, initiatives must be acceptable and beneficial for both sides in order to prevail.
In response to a question regarding whether direct negotiations without an intermediary country are preferable, the university professor said: Direct negotiations are always better. Experience has shown that indirect negotiations slow down the negotiation process and create opportunities for ill-intentioned parties to exploit the situation. Indirect negotiations merely create the appearance of negotiations and delay the process of reaching an agreement, without having any real impact.
Karimi concluded by emphasizing: Therefore, in order to reach a genuine political agreement, Iran requires a combination of political will, the presentation of tangible initiatives, and the conduct of direct negotiations. Simply declaring readiness for negotiations without these elements cannot produce tangible results and only creates the verbal credibility of negotiations.
Iran View 24 Link
