Iran International
Cautious statements from some Iranian officials and a paucity of disclosures by the tightly-controlled media on ongoing talks with the United States suggests an official desire to control the public discourse on the hyper-sensitive dossier.
Still, Iranian officials appear to have been willing to share information with Russian and Chinese counterparts.
While foreign ministry officials have openly expressed a desire to maintain secrecy about the talks' contents, they have coordinated closely with Russian and Chinese counterparts on their progress.
The Revolutionary Guards-linked newspaper Javan reported on Wednesday that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi's decision to withdraw from a preplanned online meeting at the Carnegie Endowment in New York on Saturday earlier in the week was a "calculated move aimed at controlling the narrative surrounding the Iran-US talks."
"Iran has no intention to negotiate in public," Aragchi said in a post on X on Monday.
Araghchi accused unnamed "special Interest groups" of "attempting to manipulate the course of diplomacy by smearing negotiators and pressuring the US administration to adopt maximalist demands."
While he emphasized that his focus was on "Iran's thoughts and objectives in the talks," he has not provided any substantive explanations to the Iranian public about these goals.
Officials have only vaguely mentioned their primary aim of lifting sanctions.
Araghchi also cited his concerns about the format of the Carnegie Endowment discussion, explaining that he feared his keynote address might turn into "an open Q&A."
Following this, the Carnegie Endowment expressed regret, noting that changes to the agreed format meant they had to cancel Araghchi's attendance.
Seeking a Controlled Narrative
Meanwhile, the Javan newspaper quoted a source saying Tehran is intent on crafting a "controlled narrative" to bolster its position in the talks.
"Iran understands the impact of public perceptions on diplomatic outcomes," the source added. "Avoiding a public platform strengthens its stance and demonstrates its commitment to achieving diplomatic results."
Promoting a Dominant Narrative
This aligns with remarks made by Iranian Government Spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani on April 22, who described Iran's approach to presenting a "dominant narrative" about the negotiations.
"We aim to offer the first narrative after every round of talks," she added. "Consequently, many media outlets have adopted Iran's perspective following statements by Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmail Baghaei immediately after the meetings."
Mohajerani portrayed this as a method of managing media coverage in the interest of transparency and accurate information dissemination. However, her assertion about transparency contradicted Baghaei's earlier comments on April 21.
"Details about the negotiations are not meant to be disclosed to the media," he said.
Speaking at Friday prayers in Tehran, interim Friday prayer leader Mohammad-Hassan Aboutorabi-Fard said that Iran’s nuclear policy is rooted in a religious and political doctrine that prioritizes peaceful development while resisting external pressure.
"The Islamic Republic’s strategy is based on transparency about the peaceful nature of its nuclear program, the development of nuclear technology, and the lifting of oppressive sanctions," he said.
His remarks come against the backdrop of renewed indirect negotiations between Tehran and Washington, facilitated by Oman, with the second round held in Rome and third slated for Muscat on Saturday.
According to Aboutorabi-Fard, the talks were initiated "at the repeated request of the highest-ranking US official and are proceeding with caution due to America’s repeated breaches of previous commitments, especially the unilateral withdrawal from the JCPOA in 2018."
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has characterized the Muscat-hosted dialogue as a test of American sincerity. "The talks in Oman are a test to gauge the seriousness of the US," Aboutorabi-Fard quoted the minister as saying. "Complete sanctions relief and legal guarantees can pave the way for real progress."
The Omani Foreign Ministry, which hosted the recent talks in Rome, said the goal is to reach a “fair and lasting nuclear agreement” that ensures Iran is free of nuclear weapons and also free from sanctions—while maintaining its right to peaceful nuclear development.
Tehran views the Omani statement as aligning closely with its own strategic roadmap. "This declaration reflects the correct direction of negotiations in line with Iran’s strategy," Aboutorabi-Fard added.
The Tehran cleric, like several other Friday prayer leaders representing the Supreme Leader, portrayed the current diplomacy as a product of strength.
“Without the slightest doubt, the negotiations began from a position of dignity and power,” he said. “Iran has the upper hand in defining the topics and principles of the negotiations.”
Aboutorabi-Fard added that effective diplomacy must be backed by national strength—particularly technological and military power. “Diplomacy without power is ineffective in securing national interests,” he said. “The accumulation of scientific capacity, especially in nuclear technology, is one of the pillars of Iran’s national strength.”
He added that the country’s deterrent military capabilities bolster the negotiating team. “Our defensive power and enhanced deterrent strength are reliable assets for the Muscat negotiations.”
While advocating for the removal of sanctions, Aboutorabi-Fard echoed Khamenei’s frequent warnings against relying too heavily on external negotiations to solve domestic problems.
“Sanctions relief can help create conditions for sustainable economic growth,” he said, “but without transforming our economic and administrative structures, and without cutting the dependency of the budget on oil, real economic progress will remain out of reach.”
He urged the parliament and government ministers to focus on structural reforms regardless of the outcome of talks with the United States.
Other Friday prayer leaders across Iran echoed similar sentiments, praising Iran’s scientific achievements while cautioning against overreliance on diplomacy.
The cleric in Ilam quoted Khamenei, saying: “The diplomacy apparatus should do its work, but don’t tie the country’s future to the negotiations.”
In Yezd, Mohammad-Reza Naseri warned: “Don’t trust the enemy’s slogans. Real progress comes from self-reliance and heeding the Leader’s advice.”
And in Shiraz and Shahrud, Friday prayer leaders marked the anniversary of the failed US military operation in Tabas in 1980 -- Operation Eagle Claw -- as a reminder of “divine protection” and resilience against foreign intervention.
Mashhad firebrand cleric Ahmad Alamolhoda questioned whether, "After witnessing so many miracles, is it right to still hinge our hopes on America as a problem solver?""Conditioning our lives on negotiations demonstrates a lack of faith in God's power."
