Iran quietly resuming direct talks with the US
Tehran's supreme national security council told the foreign ministry to reopen talks with the Trump administration, aiming to revive diplomacy after a 12-day war with Israel last month that saw the US bomb key Iranian nuclear sites.
Tehran and Washington held five rounds of talks from April 12. The sixth round was cancelled after Israel launched strikes on Iran on June 13.
A senior Iranian official who spoke to The Telegraph from Tehran said: 'The supreme national security council has told the foreign ministry to resume negotiating with America to persuade Trump that Israel was wrong to strike Iran.'
'The other goal is to stop the reimposition of UN sanctions before it's too late,' the official added, referring to a provision in the 2015 nuclear deal that would see sanctions automatically come into effect on Oct 18 if Iran breaches its nuclear commitments.
It came after reports emerged that Steve Witkoff, Donald Trump's envoy, was due to travel to Oslo next week to restart nuclear talks with Abbas Araghchi, the Iranian foreign minister.
Mr Araghchi wrote in a Lebanese newspaper this week: 'The Islamic Republic of Iran's acceptance of the request to stop the war has created another opportunity for comprehensive diplomacy.'
It was not immediately clear whether Ayatollah Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, was aware of the renewed talks. He has not been seen in public since before the start of hostilities with Israel, which ended in a fragile ceasefire brokered by Donald Trump.
Khamenei holds ultimate authority over Iran's political, military and ideological matters, including foreign policy and national security. The president and parliament operate under his influence.
The disappearance has fuelled speculation about his health, whereabouts and the stability of the Islamic Republic.
The Iranian official who spoke to the Telegraph said the new talks are expected to take place quietly, without publicity, due to strong opposition from hardliners in Tehran.
Sepehr Khalaji, who was a senior official in the administration of former Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi, has warned officials against engaging in any talks with the United States.
Khalaji said Tehran should avoid dialogue with Washington after 'America martyred 1,000 of your citizens, struck our nuclear facilities, violated our airspace, took our commanders and scientists, and threatened our supreme and beloved leader'.
The Iranian regime celebrated the end of the war as a 'victory', however this unity has quickly descended into disagreements between hardliners and moderates over the country's future.
Hardliners believe they have a chance to bring the country together and show the West's weakness, while moderates say the the regime should be open to dialogue.
Under hardline influence, Iran's parliament has banned International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors from entering sensitive nuclear sites. These included Fordow, which Iranian officials confirmed was 'seriously and extensively' damaged during the US attack.
The last UN nuclear inspector left Tehran on Friday morning.
Iran has intensified its long-standing criticism of the IAEA, with some lawmakers and regime-affiliated media issuing death threats against Rafael Grossi, its director general.
The agency has confirmed that its inspectors have now left Iran, which means the regime could continue its nuclear work without international oversight.
Moderate officials in Tehran are however reportedly urging the Khamenei to engage with the West.
Concerned about the potential for further conflict, former president Hassan Rouhani has asked top clerics to help push for a change in the establishment's position.
He warned that if the crisis continues, the Islamic Republic could collapse and the role of the clergy could weaken.
Ali Larijani, the former parliament speaker, has also reportedly tried to use his influence and family ties to convince Khamenei to allow talks with the US.
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