Iran has deliberately prolonged talks with the US to weaken President Donald Trump politically ahead of the 3 November midterm elections.
Iranian sources told Reuters that fears of renewed attacks and deep distrust of Washington have also made Tehran reluctant to strike a quick deal to end the eight-month-old war.
Three senior officials and an Iranian insider, all speaking on condition of anonymity, told that Tehran is convinced Trump is ready to resort to renewed attacks to break the stalemate.
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"Iran is preparing for renewed Israeli and US attacks, not for a deal," one official said. Analyst Saeed Leylaz told the news agency that by dragging out talks, Iran is influencing the US election without taking any unlawful action.
The war began in February, when the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran. It has helped push Trump's approval rating to a record low, with polls suggesting Americans worried about high gasoline prices could punish the Republican Party in the congressional elections.
Trump has said he expects oil prices to fall after the vote, but has offered no detailed plan to end the war or reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has effectively kept closed.
Iranian officials reportedly told there is little chance of a breakthrough before the elections, because Tehran will not make concessions that could benefit Trump.
Washington wants Iran's nuclear programme on the table from the outset. Tehran insists its conditions under a "seven-day plan" must be met first, and it offers no prospect of giving up its leverage over Hormuz.
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That plan, conveyed through Qatari mediators, would reopen the strait within seven days, under Iranian control, if Washington lifts its maritime blockade, eases oil export curbs, releases frozen assets and ends hostilities on all fronts.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday the offer remained on the table.
Distrust runs deep, an Iranian official said, citing attacks that derailed earlier talks.
Trump has said the US will not attack Iran before the midterms, citing "productive discussions". The officials told Reuters Tehran still expects bombing to resume sooner or later.
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Trump has also said the midterms "have nothing to do with my thinking" on Iran.
The delay carries costs for Iran. Reuters reports annual inflation in Iran hit 73.6% in September, and the rial has fallen nearly 35% against the dollar since the US reapplied its naval blockade in July.
Crude exports fell to zero in the second week of September, according to energy intelligence platform Vortexa.
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