Tehran politician urges Pezeshkian to engage with Trump on talks

Hamid Aboutalebi, a former Iranian presidential advisor, has urged President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to seize the opportunity for comprehensive negotiations with the Trump administration.

Referring to US President Donald Trump's proposal for talks with Pezeshkian, Aboutalebi suggested in a post on X that the Iranian president should call Trump to ease tensions between Tehran and Washington and prevent potential future threats.

Trump offered to meet with his Iranian “counterpart” after issuing a memorandum this week to ramp up sanctions under his “maximum pressure” policy against the Islamic Republic.

Iran's president on Wednesday played down the memorandum aimed at reducing Tehran's oil exports to zero but offered no reaction after Trump said he was willing to speak with his Iranian counterpart.

Aboutalebi also warned Araghchi that if he continues to oppose negotiations, history will remember him alongside former anti-US nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili as someone who contributed to placing Iran back under UN sanctions, which can devastate an already struggling economy.

Hamid Aboutalebi was appointed as Iran's ambassador to the UN delegation in New York in 2013, but the United States denied him a visa, citing his alleged involvement in the 1979 takeover of the US Embassy in Tehran. Despite his role in the embassy seizure, Aboutalebi later emerged as a moderate politician by Islamic Republic’s standards and served as the political deputy to Rouhani's chief of staff.

In his post on X, Aboutalebi praised the approach taken by Mexican and Canadian officials in responding to Trump's executive order on tariffs, noting that "thanks to their reasonable behavior, they are likely to reach an understanding with Trump through negotiations." He suggested that Iran could adopt a similar strategy to ease tensions with the United States, which can intensify once the US government intensifies sanctions enforcement.

He told Pezeshkian that "Trump's tough initial stance could quickly soften, as seen in the cases of Canada and Mexico." He also pointed out that "while Trump took a hardline approach by issuing executive orders against America's allies in Canada and Mexico, he opted for a much softer measure with Iran by issuing an executive memorandum."

Aboutalebi added that issuing the memorandum before Trump's meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was a deliberate move, presenting the Israeli leader with a fait accompli.

He stated, "Iran faces two options: adopting a diplomatic approach like Mexico and Canada or maintaining its hostile stance, which could eventually escalate into conflict."

Aboutalebi suggested that, given Trump’s expressed willingness for comprehensive negotiations, Pezeshkian should call him to reach a preliminary understanding. This, he argued, could help de-escalate tensions and prevent further threats without triggering the West’s use of the UN dispute mechanism, which could potentially lead to war against Iran.

Meanwhile, Aboutalebi addressed Araghchi, stating, "Despite claims to the contrary, Pezeshkian's lack of urgency suggests he has sidelined foreign policy and the issue of lifting sanctions. At the same time, your opposition to negotiations, your warnings to officials who support diplomacy, and your dismissive attitude toward President Trump have only contributed to Pezeshkian's indifference."

Araghchi’s recent public comments have been interpreted by some media outlets in Tehran as unhelpful and dismissive toward opening talks with President Trump. Aboutalebi was also likely hinting at the contrast between Trump’s call for comprehensive negotiations and Araghchi’s insistence on limiting any future talks strictly to the 2015 nuclear deal, dismissing other topics from the agenda. Trump has also demanded limitations on Iran’s ballistic missiles and Tehran’s interference in other regional countries.

He further cautioned Araghchi, stating, "If negotiations are ever initiated, you will be unable to proceed without the president's backing. Meanwhile, your persistent opposition to talks will place you alongside figures like Jalili, marking you as someone responsible for obstructing diplomatic efforts to secure Iran’s future." He warned, "Time is running out, and the window for diplomacy is brief."

Vice President Mohammad Aref said Wednesday, "Talks between Pezeshkian and Trump are not on the agenda of the Islamic Republic." Meanwhile, government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani offered little more than a reiteration of the Islamic Republic’s foreign policy principles: dignity, wisdom, and prudence—whatever those may entail.

Amid the usual rhetoric and empty slogans repeated by various Iranian politicians over the past day, Aboutalebi’s warning stood out as more pragmatic and reasonable.