Three-layer mistrust stalls US-Iran diplomacy

Deep-rooted mistrust between Iran and the United States—structural (historical narratives and incompatible visions), tactical (agenda and guarantees), and mistrust of the negotiating teams themselves—has blocked progress after Islamabad talks ended without an agreement. With no shared end state and双方 clinging to leverage, gestures are read as deception, making durable progress unlikely until trust in the process is restored and双方 are willing to compromise.