The officials said fears of renewed Israeli and U.S. Attacks, alongside deep distrust of Washington, have reduced Iran’s willingness to reach a quick agreement to end the eight-month-old war.
Three senior Iranian officials and an Iranian insider said Tehran believes Trump could order renewed attacks to break the diplomatic stalemate. One official said Iran was preparing for further attacks rather than an agreement, while Tehran analyst Saeed Leylaz said keeping the talks open allows Iran to influence the U.S.
The conflict began in February, when the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran. The war has contributed to a decline in Trump’s approval rating, while high gasoline prices have become a concern for voters before the midterms. Trump has said oil prices should fall after the election but has not provided a detailed plan to end the conflict or reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has effectively closed since the war began.
Iran’s proposal, conveyed through Qatari mediators, would reopen the strait within seven days under Iranian control if Washington lifted its maritime blockade, eased restrictions on Iranian oil exports, released frozen assets and ended hostilities on all fronts. Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Sunday that the offer remained available and that messages were still being exchanged through mediators.
The negotiations have been shaped by earlier breakdowns. Washington wants Iran’s nuclear program included from the start, while Tehran says the conditions of its seven-day plan must be met before nuclear negotiations begin.
The prolonged standoff is also worsening Iran’s economic strain. Trump has said the United States will not bomb Iran again before November 3, but Iranian officials said Tehran still expects attacks to resume eventually.