Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has signaled that Tehran remains open to negotiations, a development deemed "very important and significant" by Mehran Kamrava, a professor of government at Georgetown University in Qatar. Kamrava told Al Jazeera that Pezeshkian's signal indicates Iran is ready to negotiate and the door remains open.

This comes amidst a flurry of diplomatic activity, including top Iranian military officials meeting with senior Saudi, Pakistani, and Turkish officials on Monday to defuse regional tensions. Additionally, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited Tehran last week, and a high-ranking Qatari delegation was there recently.

However, Kamrava highlighted immediate obstacles to negotiations, citing the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s constant harassment of shipping in the Strait, and the United States' blockade of Iranian ports. He noted that these issues are central to the debate between Tehran and Washington, particularly regarding who would lift what sanctions or initiatives first.