US President Donald Trump has suggested that talks with Iran were imminent, despite silence from the Islamic republic's leaders to his offer for a meeting.
Scepticism was rife in Iran over possible talks, with one MP saying negotiations would be a "humiliation".
The country's top leaders did not give an immediate response to Mr Trump's statement a day earlier that he would meet them "any time" without preconditions.
"I have a feeling they'll be talking to us pretty soon," Mr Trump told a rally in Tampa, Florida, before adding: "And maybe not, and that's OK too."
He also used the occasion to again criticise the "horrible, one-sided" 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers from which he withdrew.
"It's a horror show," Mr Trump said.
"I hope it works out well with Iran. They are having a lot of difficulty right now."
The US is set to start reimposing full sanctions on Iran from 6 August, a move that has already contributed to a major currency crisis with the rial losing two thirds of its value in six months.
Several Iranian public figures said it was impossible to imagine negotiations with Washington after it tore up the nuclear deal in May.
"With the contemptuous statements (Trump) addressed to Iran, the idea of negotiating is inconceivable. It would be a humiliation," said Ali Motahari, deputy speaker of parliament, according to the conservative Fars News.
Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli said: "America is not trustworthy. After it arrogantly and unilaterally withdrew from the nuclear agreement, how can it be trusted?"
Only last week, Mr Trump fired off an all-caps tirade at his counterpart Hassan Rouhani on Twitter, warning of untold "suffering" if Iran continued to threaten the United States.
To Iranian President Rouhani: NEVER, EVER THREATEN THE UNITED STATES AGAIN OR YOU WILL SUFFER CONSEQUENCES THE LIKES OF WHICH FEW THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE EVER SUFFERED BEFORE. WE ARE NO LONGER A COUNTRY THAT WILL STAND FOR YOUR DEMENTED WORDS OF VIOLENCE & DEATH. BE CAUTIOUS!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 23, 2018
Many in Iran are therefore suspicious of his latest volte-face.
"We cannot negotiate with someone who violates international commitments, threatens to destroy countries, and constantly changes his position," said analyst Mohammad Marandi, of the University of Tehran, who was part of the nuclear negotiating team.
