Iran–US tensions: psychological warfare or negotiation phase? – analysis by Sergei Melkonian

The contradictory statements surrounding Iran and the US should be viewed in the context of psychological warfare, and analyses must be built exclusively on facts, Sergei Melkonian, senior researcher at APRI Armenia and political scientist, said in an interview with Alpha News.

According to him, several significant changes have recently emerged.

“The first change concerns the fact that the US is ready for direct, face-to-face negotiations with Iran. The second is that Iran is prepared to physically meet with its American counterparts. The third change is that the US has involved its key negotiators in the process,” the political scientist said.

Melkonian recalled that Steve Witkoff had been in contact with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi even during periods of internal tension in Iran, which means that diplomatic communication was effectively maintained. He also highlighted the importance of the fact that recent tense incidents did not escalate further.

“The latest indicator showed that the tension did not lead to any escalation, and afterward, the meeting in Oman was announced,” he said.