Big Take Can the US and Iran Make a Deal?
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Feb 9, 2026 Golnar Motevalli, a Bloomberg reporter with over a decade covering Iran from Tehran and London, breaks down the US–Iran indirect talks. She discusses Iran’s weakened bargaining position amid domestic unrest. She explains how relay-style meetings work and what each side wants. She outlines risks of military action, regional fallout, and economic levers like oil and shipping.
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Iran's Weak Bargaining Position
- Iran is negotiating from a position of relative weakness after protests and U.S. strikes undermined its regional allies.
- Golnar Motevalli says talks offer an off-ramp that could help the regime hold power longer.
Highly Mediated Indirect Talks
- The indirect talks were highly mediated, with messages relayed through Oman rather than direct exchanges.
- Golnar Motevalli notes both sides still described the initial meeting as "good," showing cautious optimism.
Netanyahu Could Make Or Break Talks
- Israel's reaction, especially from Netanyahu, could shape whether talks continue or escalate militarily.
- Golnar Motevalli warns Netanyahu may preemptively strike if he feels excluded or threatened by a U.S.-Iran deal.