Iran, promising retaliation, continues negotiations behind the scenes... 'Agreement needed before protests recur'

Iran is pursuing a dual strategy of public defiance and private negotiation following U.S. strikes that killed members of its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. While Iran has vowed retaliation, its leadership is simultaneously working to keep diplomatic channels open, according to the Wall Street Journal.

This approach involves delaying the announcement of casualties to avoid disrupting ongoing talks. Iran's chief negotiator, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, continued discussions in Doha, Qatar, after the U.S. airstrikes. He met with mediators to address core issues, including the release of frozen Iranian assets and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, before returning to Tehran.

Sources indicate that Iran's primary objectives in these negotiations are to secure financial relief through the release of frozen assets and the resumption of oil exports, thereby alleviating severe economic hardship. This is crucial to prevent the resurgence of widespread anti-government protests, fueled by inflation and prolonged sanctions.

The government's pressure is also evident in the partial easing of internet restrictions. President Masoud Pezeshkian ordered the lifting of an 88-day nationwide internet blackout, a move seen as a response to the economic damage and public discontent caused by the prolonged shutdown.

The recent clashes in the Strait of Hormuz, where the U.S. claimed to have struck Iranian vessels and a missile launch facility for attempting to plant mines, underscore the volatile security situation. Iran's assertion of downing a U.S. drone was denied by the U.S. Defense Department.

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Any act of aggression will surely receive a befitting response.