Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian appeared to add yet another stipulation to Tehran's growing list of demands that must be met if it is to get back to the negotiating table with the US.
Pezeshkian stated that some Washington-led sanctions must be peeled back before direct dialogue can resume again. He voiced that the constantly ratcheting economic warfare is closing diplomatic avenues, and so there must be a 'practical' easing of pressure to set an atmosphere of honest talks.
"Threats and sanctions must be removed in practice to pave the way for dialogue. We cannot increase the intensity of sanctions and pressure every day, close the avenues of interaction, and at the same time talk about negotiations," he wrote on X.
He is perhaps taking note of what's happening in US-Russia relations, where President Trump just waived the sweeping Graham sanctions package just ahead of when they were expected to be enacted. Trump also earlier this month facilitated the diesel release deal with Putin.
Out of these overtures has come an increase in direct Moscow-Washington dialogue. It seems Pezeshkian is holding out for the possibility of a scenario like this, depending on how desperate the White House becomes for a peace deal.
While there's no doubt that Iran's economy is under immense pressure, and average people are feeling the pain on a daily basis - especially given the plunging Rial amid runaway inflation - Iranian leaders say the country can endure in this wartime state of survival for at least years more.
The Pentagon and the Trump administration have been saying something different, however.
US Central Command chief Brad Cooper claimed last week that "The financial strain on Iran’s military has become so significant that there are reports of Iran-aligned militia groups across the region withholding payments to their soldiers in order to funnel money back to the IRGC, which also is not paying its troops."
At various times over the last several months, Iranian officials have admitted the deep financial pain within society and impacting government coffers, also amid the US naval blockade which prevents Iranian oil from reaching global markets.
Yet Iranian leaders have remained defiant...
For example, Iran's Central Bank chief Abdolnaser Hemmati said earlier this month, "Despite all these pressures, the Iranian economy has demonstrated very good resilience, and the claim that Iran’s economy is collapsing is nothing more than an illusion."
It continues to be a high stakes standoff and game of each warring side waiting the other out, seeing how much economic and political cost can be inflicted.