In what analysts are calling the “Trump Effect,” Iran has signaled its readiness for nuclear negotiations with Western powers.

“We believe the window for diplomacy is still open, albeit for a short time, provided the other parties demonstrate genuine willingness. Without such commitment, we will pursue an alternative course,” Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday on state television.

The foreign minister’s expiration date warning comes as the international community faces a critical October 2025 deadline. Under current UN Security Council Resolution 2231, Western nations can rapidly reimpose or “snap back” sanctions if Iran violates nuclear agreements. But after October 2025, this powerful enforcement tool disappears as restrictions on Tehran’s nuclear program automatically expire.

Araghchi said the European powers will most probably try to use the snapback mechanism to restore sanctions against Iran over the next year and warned that the regime is “prepared for any scenario.”

“If confrontation becomes inevitable, we are ready to face it,” he said. “Similarly, if cooperation is possible, we are prepared to embrace that path as well.”

Tehran’s diplomatic offensive gained momentum Thursday when President Masoud Pezeshkian met with IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, expressing willingness to address “alleged ambiguities” about Iran’s “peaceful” nuclear activities.

However, the timing appears far from coincidental.

The Financial Times reports that Trump’s incoming administration is preparing executive orders to intensify existing sanctions and implement new restrictions on Iran’s oil exports as part of a “maximum pressure” strategy similarly employed during his first term. While Araghchi claimed it was “too early to analyze” Trump’s approach, he noted that Trump’s nominees display a “radical tendency” in their support for Israel.

Meanwhile, controversy continues to swell over a reported meeting between Trump ally Elon Musk and Iran’s UN envoy. While Tehran dismisses these reports as fabricated, neither Musk nor Trump’s team has denied them, fueling speculation about back-channel communications.