Iran’s Supreme Leader: Avoid linking the country’s fate to these talks

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday he was neither “overly optimistic nor pessimistic” about talks with the U.S. on Iran’s nuclear programme, in an apparent move by Tehran to play down growing public expectations of a deal.

After last weekend’s talks between Tehran and Washington in Oman, which both sides described as positive, Iranian expectations of economic relief have soared, according to Iranians reached by telephone and by messages posted by Iranians on social media.

The two sides have agreed to hold more talks on April 19 in Oman.

“We are neither overly optimistic nor pessimistic regarding them. After all, it is a process which was decided, and its first steps have been well implemented,” Khamenei said in a meeting with lawmakers, according to state media.

Tehran has approached the talks warily, doubting the likelihood of an agreement and suspicious of Trump, who abandoned Tehran’s 2015 nuclear pact with six powers during his first term in 2018 and has repeatedly threatened to bomb Iran if there is no deal.

“From here on, it (the talks) must be followed through carefully, with red lines clearly defined for both the other side and for us. The negotiations may lead to results, or they may not,” said Khamenei, calling to “avoid linking the country’s fate to these talks.”