Tehran residents hope for breakthrough in upcoming US-Iran talks

As the United States continues to threaten military action against Iran, Iranians are anxiously awaiting a new round of talks set to take place in Geneva this week.

They’re hoping the two countries can strike a deal over Iran’s nuclear programme and ward off the outbreak of war.

“Everybody is worried, because the consequences of war with a country like America,” says Tehran resident Mohammadi, who didn’t give his first name.

“We once fought Iraq for eight years, but it was a country at the same level with us, but going to war with America, Israel and NATO will have very horrible and unpredictable consequences. That’s why people are concerned but what can we do. We can’t leave our country. We have no choice but to adapt.”

The tensions with the US are coming on the heels of the Iranian regime’s bloodiest crackdown on dissent in modern history last month. Security forces killed thousands of people and detained tens of thousands more.

“Actually I have no hope (for a deal),” says Khashayar, a student who didn’t give his last name.

“Iran is refusing to back down from its positions for sure, because if it does, it would have officially given up its 40-year-old ideology. So I have no hope. The leaders of both countries speak often and none of them is willing to concede to reach a deal. So the likelihood for war is high.”

On Tuesday, during his State of the Union address, President Trump said he’d like to find a diplomatic solution to the standoff. But Thursday’s talks will take place under the shadow of the largest assembly of military firepower America has deployed to the Middle East in decades.