Anxious Iranians hope nuclear talks may ease risk of US attack

9/4/2025 18:51

Weary from long years of biting sanctions and worried about U.S. threats of military action, Iranians have responded to the prospect of talks this weekend with expressions of hope that have boosted their stock market and depressed currency.



The talks in Oman are to address the long dispute between Iran and the West over its nuclear programme, though Iranian officials are sceptical of progress and U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to bomb if no deal is reached.



Many people in Iran to whom Reuters spoke by phone remained pessimistic about the future. But even the slim chance of a deal with an unpredictable U.S. president who has often boasted of his negotiating skills has given some people a little optimism.



Trump announced the talks on Monday. By Wednesday Iran's rial currency, which had sunk to a record low of 1,050,000 to the dollar and whose value often tracks Iran's geopolitical shifts, had strengthened slightly to 999,000 to the dollar.