What did Pezeshkian obtain in New York?

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who traveled to New York to attend the UN General Assembly this week, particularly made time to satisfy with American journalists and media representatives.

In an interview with the conservative US broadcaster Fox News, he signaled a willingness to make concessions within the nuclear dispute with the United States.

Washington has made clear that Iran must not ever be allowed to own nuclear weapons. Asked whether or not Iran was ready at hand over its extremely enriched uranium, Pezeshkian mentioned his nation would comply with its obligations beneath overseas legislation and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

In its most up-to-date evaluation, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) estimated that Iran had greater than 440 kilograms of uranium enriched to as much as 60%.

Since the US-Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities in 2025, Iran has suspended its cooperation with the IAEA. The company has continued to demand entry to Iranian amenities and up to date data on its nuclear stockpile and the whereabouts of its nuclear materials.

Asked point-blank “Do you need a nuclear bomb or not?” throughout the unique interview on Fox News’ “Special Report,” Pezeshkian firmly rejected the premise.

“Not in any respect. Not in any respect. Our martyred, esteemed supreme chief had introduced a number of instances that, from a spiritual decree, it’s unholy. It is illegitimate,” he advised host Bret Baier, referencing non secular edicts issued in opposition to weapons of mass destruction.

Despite Pezeshkian’s claims, the IAEA has assessed that Iran’s fissile materials is being enriched far past what is required for civilian use.

Diplomacy: A primary step?

A serious breakthrough within the unrest between Iran and the United States just isn’t anticipated anytime quickly, Iran knowledgeable Arman Mahmoudian, a lecturer in Middle East Studies on the University of South Florida, advised DW.

“Pezeshkian doesn’t have the authority to provoke complete de-escalation with the United States. In specific, hard-liners and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps seem to proceed to wield appreciable affect over Iran’s decision-making course of,” he added.

Nevertheless, Mahmoudian thinks Pezeshkian’s go to might assist set up a extra direct channel of communication between Tehran and Washington.

He additionally sees the opportunity of making a framework for future negotiations in New York, including that the 2 sides might develop a street map that might pave the best way for extra substantive talks and, in the long term, doubtlessly contribute to de-escalation.

There are already indicators of this, together with conferences between Iranian and US delegations earlier this week. The White House, in the meantime, has confirmed that “constructive and constructive” talks had been persevering with via intermediaries.

Hormuz — and Houthis — as leverage

The way forward for the Strait of Hormuz can also be on the middle of the discussions. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reportedly mentioned that Tehran had offered Washington with a proposal to renew negotiations.

Under the proposal, the strategically important waterway may very well be reopened inside seven days if sure circumstances had been met. It stays unclear what these circumstances are.

In the previous, Iran has demanded the discharge of frozen Iranian belongings, an finish to the US blockade of Iranian ports and vessels, and a dedication by Washington to not intervene in Iran’s inside affairs.

The Strait of Hormuz, via which round 20 million barrels of oil usually go every single day — roughly 20% of world oil consumption — has turn out to be one in every of Iran’s most important sources of leverage.

The United States has failed to eliminate all of Iran’s capabilities to threaten delivery within the Strait of Hormuz, Kelly Grieco, a senior fellow on the Stimson Center, advised DW in July.

This is regardless of the US assaults having brought on vital harm to Iran’s navy and protection business. 

“At a sure level, it turns into actually exhausting to seek out a few of these targets,” mentioned Grieco. “They’re cell. They’re distributed.”

Without a long-term technique, Grieco warned, the United States might due to this fact turn out to be trapped in a recurring cycle: Iran rebuilds its navy capabilities, Washington launches another round of attacks and the cycle repeats itself.

Nearly seven months after the beginning of the Iran struggle, the unrest has additionally unfold to a second strategically essential delivery route.

The Iran-backed Houthi motion has expanded its control over Yemen’s Red Sea coast and the strategically essential space across the Bab al-Mandab Strait. This offers Iran one other essential lever alongside main overseas delivery routes.

Balancing strain and negotiations

Middle East knowledgeable Mahmoudian expects Iran to proceed pursuing a twin technique of navy strain and negotiations, saying that Tehran is more likely to proceed utilizing the Strait of Hormuz as leverage and to stop a full return to regular delivery site visitors. 

“At the identical time, Iran will almost definitely proceed rebuilding its navy and strategic development projects contained in the nation,” he mentioned. “Reports counsel that Iranian authorities are already transferring shortly to reconstruct some broken amenities.”

On the diplomatic entrance, he added that Iran is more likely to proceed negotiations with the US, both straight or via intermediaries.

Tehran is conscious that the present state of affairs, with the persevering with menace of navy assaults, sanctions and financial strain, just isn’t sustainable in the long run, Mahmoudian mentioned, including that Iran will due to this fact proceed to have an curiosity in reaching a political settlement with Washington.

A take care of Iran would require time and troublesome negotiations, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio mentioned in New York on September 23, enjoying down expectations of a fast settlement. At the identical time, he harassed that President Donald Trump has navy choices at his disposal alongside the diplomatic route.

This article was initially written in German.