Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref has said a potential agreement with the United States could be reached if Washington prioritises its own interests in line with President Donald Trump’s “America First” policy.

In a post on social media, Aref said there would be no deal if Iran was confronted by what he called “Israel first” representatives. He warned that failure in negotiations could lead to “greater costs” for the world if the US and Israel resumed hostilities against Iran, reports Al Jazeera.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran enters upcoming talks with the United States with “deep distrust”, citing past attacks during negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme.

In a statement shared on Telegram, Araghchi said Iran would respond if it is attacked and reiterated calls for an end to Israeli strikes on Lebanon amid wider regional tensions.

The remarks come ahead of US-Iran negotiations scheduled to take place on Saturday, amid ongoing uncertainty over the terms of a ceasefire and disputes surrounding regional security issues, including developments in Lebanon and the Strait of Hormuz.

Diplomatic sources say both sides have signalled willingness to engage, but deep mistrust remains a major obstacle to progress in the talks.