A mural in downtown Tehran depicting a meeting between the U.S. and Iran [EPA Yonhap News]

On the 11th (local time), Iran was filled with an atmosphere of distrust towards the U.S. and public opinion demanding that concessions should not be made, right up until the eve of the peace talks.

In a statement released on the same day, Iranian government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said, "The dispatch of the negotiating delegation shows Iran's determination to engage in dialogue," adding that President Hassan Rouhani had stated that they would "negotiate with their finger on the trigger."

She continued, "Iran is open to dialogue, but we are also well aware of the lack of trust (towards the U.S.). Therefore, the negotiating team is approaching the talks with the utmost seriousness." She emphasized, "Under the guidance of the Supreme Leader, Iran will not yield or give up our rights."

Mohammad Reza Aref, Iran's First Vice President, stated on X that day, "If we negotiate with a 'America First' delegation, an agreement beneficial to both sides and the world is possible. However, if the (U.S. delegation) insists on 'Israel First,' an agreement is impossible."

He warned, "In that case, we will inevitably continue our defense more strongly than before, and the world will face greater costs."

Regarding the U.S.-Iran talks on this day, Iran's Mehr News Agency quoted Dr. Mehdi Hanali Zadeh, an expert in international relations in Iran, reporting that the possibility of an agreement is low as the U.S. is not accepting the conditions set by Iran.

Dr. Hanali Zadeh predicted, "The U.S. has no intention of continuing the war, and reopening the Strait of Hormuz by military means is impossible. The possibility of an agreement is very low due to the gap between the U.S.'s expectation of denuclearization from Iran and Iran's stance that nuclear issues cannot be negotiated."

He stated, "None of the four preconditions set by Iran, which the U.S. has allegedly accepted, have been met, and because of this, the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked. The current atmosphere of negotiations is tense, bilateral talks are impossible, and the negotiations are in a trilateral format (with Pakistan present)."

He also analyzed, "Since the U.S. Vice President's return is scheduled within hours, it is highly likely that the Iranian delegation will also leave Pakistan. Recent developments suggest that predictions for both agreement and continued war have decreased, and a state of neither war nor agreement is likely to persist for the time being."