The war has had a deep impact on Iran’s economy, which has been struggling with heavy sanctions for a long time.
Many workers have lost their jobs, while government-imposed internet blackouts have also disrupted business during the war.
Tehran, hoping for relief after months of unrest fuelled by economic discontent, has made the seizure of its assets a key demand in the talks.
“I don’t expect the negotiations to lead to lasting peace,” Kaveh Ahmadi, who lives between Tehran and northern Iran and works in industrial photography, said in a separate interview with NBC News on Monday.
Ahmadi, a 43-year-old father of one, has spent most of his time with his family in the north to escape the sounds of “constant bombing” during the war.
Despite his doubts, he said he hoped a deal could at least help the Iranian economy after months of rising prices for consumers.
“Everything has gone up, so maybe a peace agreement, even if only short-term, could at least stabilise prices,” he said.
Abdullah Mohammadi, another Tehran resident, said he was also “not optimistic” about the deal’s prospects.
He told the Associated Press news agency that the US has “proven in the past” that it is “not fully committed” to the deals, referencing Trump’s withdrawal from the landmark 2015 Iran nuclear deal.
Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa program at Chatham House, a London-based think tank, said the Iranians were right to be cautious.
As it stands, the lawyer stressed in a phone interview on Monday morning that the framework agreement exists as a memorandum of understanding or MOU, pending the signing of the peace agreement.
“This is probably the beginning of a process that will get us a final deal, but I think we have to be very cautious,” he said. “We must be prepared for hiccups.”
According to Iranian state-affiliated Mehr News, the MOU, which includes 14 points, leaves some key issues unresolved, setting the stage for future tensions.
Those potential issues include Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, a key issue in the talks.
The second is Lebanon, which is Tehran’s priority.
