Iran's supreme leader says he's not 'overly optimistic' about talks with US

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei endorsed the progress of talks with the US while speaking to high-ranking officials in Tehran on Tuesday but remained sceptical about their success.

“We shouldn’t be overly optimistic about this dialogue, nor overly pessimistic," 85-year-old Khamenei said.

"The first steps have been taken well and executed properly. From here on, the process should be followed carefully," he added.

He stressed that "red lines are clear - both for the other side and for us. We may or may not reach a result, but either way, it’s worth pursuing.”

He also urged officials “not to tie the country’s affairs” to the talks, which are scheduled to have a second round on Saturday.

“Of course, we don’t fully trust them - we know who we’re dealing with,” Khamenei added.

“But we are optimistic about our own capabilities.”

Meanwhile, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff has stated that the upcoming US-Iran talks will focus on the verification of uranium enrichment and weapons development.

Speaking to US media, Witkoff explained, "the conversation with the Iranians will be much about two critical points. One enrichment, as you mentioned. They do not need to enrich past 3.67%. In some circumstances, they're at 60% and other circumstances 20%."

"So, this is going to be much about verification on the enrichment program and then ultimately verification on weaponisation. That includes missiles, the type of missiles that they have stockpiled there. And it includes, the trigger for a bomb."

Witkoff went on to stress the importance of this verification, echoing President Trump's sentiments that if the talks are not positive, 'alternative' solutions would have to be found.

"We're going to have to have very tight verification, there hasn't been much in the way of verification in the last several, several years prior to our administration," he said.

"That's got to change. And if it changes, then we'll have the basis for positive talks. And if it doesn't change, then we'll have to seek alternatives which will not be good for anybody."

There is still uncertainty about the location of this weekend's talks, as officials initially suggested Rome would host the negotiations, only for Iran to announce early Tuesday that they would return to Oman.

The importance of these talks is immense, as the two countries approach nearly fifty years of hostility.

President Trump has consistently threatened airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities if an agreement is not reached.

Meanwhile, Iranian officials are increasingly signalling that they might pursue nuclear weapons, citing their growing stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels.