The story: Iranian conservatives continue to reject calls for direct talks with the US amid growing discontent in domestic media and among experts over Tehran’s refusal to sit down with Washington.

As Iran and world powers are engaged in negotiations to revive the 2015 nuclear deal, supporters of direct talks say Russia is negotiating with the US on Iran’s behalf, thereby depriving Tehran of the ability to make its own decisions—a claim that Iranian conservatives strongly deny.

The coverage: The eighth round of talks to resuscitate the nuclear deal—formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)—started on Dec. 27 in Vienna and resumed on Jan. 3, after a brief break due to the New Year holidays...