Iran’s hardline media calls for strength as talks with US begin

In the final moments before indirect negotiations with the United States begin in Oman, Iranian hardline media is urging Tehran to stand firm against Donald Trump, push for the full lifting of sanctions, and highlight divisions within the White House.

Nour News, affiliated with Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, published a series of articles on Saturday. In one analysis, the outlet warned that Trump would exploit any sign of weakness during the talks and advised Iranian negotiators to remain resolute.

“One effective strategy in dealing with Trump is to avoid giving in to his unreasonable demands,” the piece argued. “If he senses that the other side lacks the will to resist, he is likely to increase the pressure.” The outlet stressed that Iran must avoid making concessions.

Nour News also claimed that Trump’s foreign policy is not guided by US national interests but by his personal ambition to be feared and short-term tactical gains rooted in his self-interest.

In another article, the site said Trump’s team is divided between those open to negotiations and “warmongers” pushing for military confrontation. It claimed that Israel is using its influence to support the pro-war camp within Washington.

Kayhan, an ultra-hardline newspaper closely aligned with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s office, wrote in an editorial that Tehran should only engage in serious negotiations if all US sanctions are lifted.

The paper predicted that the talks would fail, asserting that Iran would emerge with another example to showcase America’s untrustworthiness to global public opinion. “From this perspective,” Kayhan wrote, “Saturday’s indirect talks with the US can already be counted as ‘one-nil in favor of the Islamic Republic.’”

Javan, a newspaper affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard, argued that the United States is in historic decline and that Trump is trying to mask this weakness through personal branding.

“His insistence on humiliating the leaders of other countries is also tied to this same issue: he has no hope for a long-term and reliable resolution to America’s challenges and is merely seeking temporary fixes,” the paper said. It added that Trump knows he cannot overpower Iran and is only seeking a deal to claim a symbolic victory.

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