Tehran's red lines dominate parliament's closed-door session on US talks

Iran's pursuit of nuclear talks with the United States in Muscat is a strategic move leveraging "deterrence through diplomacy," according to an editorial published in the Iranian daily Donya-e-Eqtesad on Tuesday.

Authored by Mohammad-Ali Rafiei, the commentary suggests that Tehran's past actions and demonstrated military readiness have built the credibility needed to engage effectively in negotiations.

“Deterrence does not always come from military might alone,” Rafiei wrote. “A broader view shows that diplomacy itself can act as a form of deterrence, convincing adversaries that the cost of hostile action outweighs its benefits.”

Rafiei cited a series of recent military and diplomatic maneuvers as part of this deterrence strategy. These include Iran’s direct strikes on Israel in the past year and a set of joint military drills with Russia and China.

“Even when immediate agreements are not possible, diplomacy backed by credible deterrence is a vital tool for managing crises,” Rafiei wrote. “Honest dialogue and a readiness to compromise can yield mutually acceptable solutions.”

Chinese President Xi Jinping sent condolences to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian over the deadly explosion at Iran’s Bandar Abbas port, China’s state-run Xinhua news agency reported on Tuesday.

Iran’s crisis management chief said efforts to mop up remaining fire hotspots at Bandar Abbas port could be completed by Tuesday night, and that Russian crews had been asked to assist.

Hossein Sajedi-Nia, head of Iran’s National Disaster Management Organization, said: “God willing, spot extinguishing will be finished by tonight. We asked our Russian colleagues to help today with aerial operations,” according to state media.

A senior Iranian surgeon said many victims of the Bandar Abbas port explosion suffered major head and facial injuries, including skull fractures and eye trauma so severe that some patients required eye removal surgery.

Heydar Raeisian, a senior surgery resident at Shahid Mohammadi Hospital, said more than 400 people were treated after the blast. “There were so many patients we didn’t have time to write sonography reports,” he told Farhikhtegan newspaper. “We wrote notes directly on their stomachs to move quickly to the next case.”

Raeisian said others had broken ribs, pelvises, and limbs, while several patients showed signs of psychological trauma. One man reportedly died of a heart attack after hearing that family members may have been involved. Another showed physical symptoms caused purely by emotional shock.

"There is no diplomatic or military solution to the Iranian nuclear issue, only toppling the regime will prevent disaster,"Akhondisaid speaking to Israeli media during a public visit to Israel.

He expressed concern that a potential deal between the Trump administration and Iran would undermine efforts to weaken the Islamic Republic.

"They are at their weakest point during the 46 years since the Islamic Revolution," Akhondi said, adding that "any deal will set back two and a half years of my work to weaken the Islamic Republic."

"Any kind of deal is a threat," he said, arguing that even a comprehensive agreement dismantling Iran's nuclear infrastructure would be insufficient.

Akhondi, who was born in Iran and immigrated to Sweden as a child, criticized what he called the US envoy's inexperience and suggested that Iran and Russia were exploiting his lack of expertise.

“To be honest, I’m upset that they used an amateur like Witkoff as a negotiator. The Islamic Republic demanded that it not be Marco Rubio, but Witkoff. Russia demanded him, too. It’s the same strategy. Why? Because it’s easy to play with him. He has no experience in such sensitive geopolitical issues,” Akhondi said.