Despite threats and sanctions: renewed efforts to bring the US and Iran back to the negotiating table

Despite the public escalation between Washington and Tehran, behind-the-scenes efforts to renew negotiations between the United States and Iran are intensifying. Al Jazeera's Iran correspondent, Ali Hashem, reported overnight, citing sources, that the commander of the Pakistani armed forces, Asim Munir, is expected to return to Tehran in the coming days with the goal of "restarting mediation between the United States and Iran." Pakistan has played a central role in mediating between the parties in recent months, and Munir has already visited Tehran as part of the contacts.

The report aligns with efforts by other countries in the region. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Aty spoke over the weekend with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, in an attempt to create conditions for a return to the diplomatic track. According to the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, the two discussed resuming the implementation of the memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran and reaching a broader and more stable arrangement.

Within Iran, voices calling for an end to the conflict have also been heard in the last day. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that the war must be brought to an end "from a position of strength," after months in which sanctions and damage to oil exports have exacerbated the economic crisis. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf also emphasized the link between military power and economic stability.

However, at the same time, other senior officials in Tehran are issuing belligerent messages. Mohsen Rezaee, who was recently appointed head of the Supreme National Security Council, warned countries in the region not to join the American economic campaign against Iran. The Iranian Foreign Ministry attacked the new sanctions expected from the United States, claiming it is an illegal act of "imposing extraterritorial sovereignty."

In Washington, the message over the weekend was also twofold. US President Donald Trump said on Friday that the Iranians "would love to make a deal, but they are not yet ready to make the right deal." At the same time, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is expected to present a new package of sanctions tomorrow that Trump and his team are presenting as the "toughest in history," including pressure on China, which purchases more than 80% of Iran's exported oil.

For now, there are no active direct negotiations, but the multitude of mediation channels through Pakistan, Egypt, and Oman indicates that both sides are still looking for a way to return to talks, even as they try to improve their opening positions through economic pressure and threats.