Iranian Conservative Media Slams Prospect of U.S. Talks as “Unwise and Ill-Timed”

According to Saed News, Iran’s official Fars News Agency has issued a scathing response to recent remarks by President Masoud Pezeshkian and other officials hinting at a potential resumption of dialogue with Washington. The reaction reflects a broader backlash within conservative circles who view renewed negotiations as premature and strategically flawed, particularly in the wake of devastating Israeli strikes.

The controversy erupted following reports of a phone call between Pezeshkian and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, during which the Iranian president reportedly floated the idea of returning to the negotiating table with the United States. According to regional sources, preliminary talks between Iranian and American officials were slated to occur in Muscat on June 14. However, just days before the scheduled meeting, Israel launched a wide-scale military operation targeting the homes of Iranian commanders and nuclear scientists, resulting in over 600 fatalities and thousands of injuries—many among civilians.

Analysts aligned with conservative factions argue that the U.S. gave Israel a “green light” for the strikes, rendering any trust in future negotiations suspect. Fars characterized the current environment as one of “betrayal and bloodshed,” warning that initiating talks now would divert national attention from Israeli aggression and undermine Iran’s position of resistance.

The timing of Pezeshkian’s overtures—amid heightened public grief and outrage—has sparked accusations of naivety or political miscalculation. Critics contend that rather than signaling diplomacy, such moves appear tone-deaf to the broader geopolitical reality and the national mood, which remains defiant in the face of foreign pressure.