The resumption of indirect talks between the United States and Iran amid heightened regional tensions is seen as a promising start, though observers have cautioned that lingering uncertainties on the U.S. side could still push the situation toward escalation due to a series of unresolved core issues.
U.S. and Iranian officials concluded a round of talks on Friday, with both sides agreeing to continue negotiations, on which regional countries have pinned high hopes to help steer the Middle East back from the brink of a wider war.
An Iranian affairs researcher said the latest U.S.-Iran talks have created a positive atmosphere, with Tehran ready to make concessions if given security guarantees, while both sides seek to avoid a wider regional war.
"The atmosphere appears positive. Iran is prepared to make concessions, provided that it receives security guarantees. They seek a new nuclear agreement with the United States that offers security assurances and dispels the clouds of war hanging over Iran and its surrounding areas. I think, the only common ground between the Iranians and Americans at present is that neither side wants a full-scale, protracted regional war," Mohammad Shams.
It is reported that Friday's talks delved into details of all forms and substantive content, demonstrating the seriousness of both sides. Some experts, however, warn against repeating the setbacks experienced in previous agreements.
"This round of negotiations aims to probe the intentions of both sides. But with Trump, it is unpredictable -- he could consider launching a war even while negotiating. At least for now, after the threats peaked last week, we have ended up with a round of talks. This suggests that the U.S. side, at the very least, is apprehensive about the war and is making preparations for it. This round of talks or subsequent rounds may delay the outbreak of war, but Trump could also launch a sudden strike during the negotiation process, catching everyone off guard," said Dr. Hassan al-Dur, a political scholar.
Currently, Washington is pressuring to expand the discussion beyond nuclear issues, aiming to push for changes in Iran's policies. Tehran, however, insists on strictly limiting discussions to the nuclear issues, rejecting any infringement on its national sovereignty and other core strategic pillars for development.
"Based on the information released, the positive atmosphere and other talks scheduled for the coming days indicate that these negotiations are constructive. Both sides discussed key topics or the framework for negotiations, particularly their respective red lines," Mohammad added.
According to the analysts, the most likely near-term outcome is not a comprehensive final deal, but rather phased understandings and verifiable nuclear steps in exchange for sanctions relief or the establishment of follow-up mechanisms -- this would allow progress without crossing either party's red line.
Observers cautious on Iran-U.S. de-escalation amid unresolved differences
More of China's A-share listed companies have disclosed major contract wins and full order books at the beginning of 2026, underscoring a solid start in the year and sending positive signals of a steady recovery and strong endogenous momentum in the country's economy.
Since the start of the year, more than 100 listed companies have announced major bid wins or contract signings, according to financial data company Wind data.
The newly secured orders span a wide range of sectors, from large-scale domestic infrastructure projects to international market cooperation, featuring sizable volumes and a diversified structure.
These developments have laid a sound foundation for corporate operations throughout the year while reinforcing confidence in China's economic recovery.
"Contracts worth over one billion yuan (around 144 million U.S. dollars) have been concentrated mainly in the infrastructure sector. Since the beginning of this year, listed companies have secured major project orders totaling more than 43 billion yuan (around 6.2 billion U.S. dollars). The launch of these projects has brought direct business support for enterprises while boosting market confidence in economic recovery, further vitalizing the industrial chain," said Tian Lihui, dean of the Institute of Finance and Development at Nankai University.
Infrastructure investment is also increasingly integrated with national strategies such as new energy and smart cities, with traditional infrastructure showing a clear trend toward intelligent and green upgrading.
In the ecological and environmental protection sector, several new projects worth hundreds of millions of yuan have been initiated, covering sanitation services, water conservation and waste treatment, highlighting green infrastructure as a new growth driver.
And a number of listed companies reported that overseas orders have significantly supported earnings growth.
With improving business performance, companies are becoming more proactive in disclosing order information, particularly during earnings forecast periods, to convey positive signals to the market.
Wind data show that more than 750 listed companies voluntarily disclosed order developments in 2025, accounting for 13.75 percent of the total.
Nearly 60 percent of companies with full orders are expected to see year-on-year net profit growth or significantly narrowed losses in 2025, with growth momentum likely to sustain into 2026.
Among them, 16 companies are projected to maintain net profit growth of over 10 percent from 2025 to 2027.
"The trend significantly reflects the longer-term vision of corporate performance, with the market now able to assess prospects over one or even two years rather than just a single quarter as before," said Zhang Yusheng, chief strategy analyst at Everbright Securities.
Industry observers believe that, amid sustained improvement in performance, the proactive disclosure of orders by listed companies helps stabilize market expectations, boost investor confidence and highlight growth potential, guiding capital toward high-quality enterprises.
A-share firms report strong order intake
