Mutual trust between the United States and Iran has fallen to zero, according to Alan Eyre, a former US negotiator and analyst at the Middle East Institute. Speaking about the state of relations, Eyre said there is no secret formula for negotiating with Iranians, who are well-informed and skilled in their fields. He emphasized that meaningful agreements require time and sustained dialogue, expressing doubt that the Trump administration was prepared to invest the necessary effort for a comprehensive nuclear deal.

Eyre stressed the importance of confidence-building measures to manage tensions, noting that full trust is never a prerequisite for talks but some level of confidence is essential. He described Iran’s current leadership as more hardline and militaristic than previous governments, believing that Washington and Israel ultimately seek to overthrow the Islamic Republic. According to Eyre, Tehran fears that any ceasefire could be used by its adversaries to regroup and prepare for future attacks.

He concluded that rebuilding even minimal trust is vital to restoring momentum in negotiations between the two nations.