Iranian hopes dashed as US talks fail after weeks of war
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Weeks of bombardment have taken a heavy toll on Iranians, leaving some exhausted and gripped by a deep sense of despair.
PHOTO: AFP
TEHRAN – After weeks of war between Iran and the US, Iranians clung to hopes that negotiations could bring an end to the fighting – only to have them dashed when the talks failed.
The negotiations took place on April 11 in Pakistan, against the backdrop of a fragile two-week ceasefire announced days earlier that offered a lull in the bombing.
“I really wanted them to make peace,” said Mahsa, a 30-year-old employee of an export company in the Iranian capital.
“It’s been almost 45 days now that I’ve seen everyone stressed. It’s a bad situation.”
The US and Israel attacked Iran on Feb 28, sparking retaliation from the Islamic republic that has plunged the Middle East into conflict and shaken the global economy.
Hours before the ceasefire was announced, US President Donald Trump warned that “a whole civilisation will die... never to be brought back again” as he threatened to bomb infrastructure across Iran.
“I was stressed until 3am... No one slept that night,” Mahsa said.
It was not immediately clear whether the two sides would resume talks after the discussions on April 11 failed, or whether the ceasefire would hold.
‘No other way but war’
The main sticking points were not officially disclosed at the time, but Mr Trump later castigated Iran for not reopening the Strait of Hormuz and said it had refused to concede on the issue of its nuclear programme.
The weeks of bombardment have taken a heavy toll on Iranians.
“We feel despair and hopelessness. We are tired of this uncertainty,” said Nahid, a 60-year-old housewife in Tehran.
Although disappointed, 42-year-old shop owner Farhad said he had expected the talks to fail.
“We knew from the beginning that the other side did not want to reach a conclusion,” he said, referring to the US.
Hamed, 37, said the failure to reach a deal signalled more fighting ahead.
“I would have preferred peace, but I think there is no other way but war and confrontation,” he said. “Based on what I see and hear, unfortunately, we are going to war again, and it seems like we will have a long war.” AFP
