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Iran has pushed back on claims from President Donald Trump that direct negotiations between both countries are underway.
Some shit you should know before you dig in: Over the last few days, President Trump has claimed that the United States has been engaged in “very good and productive” conversations with Iran aimed at ending the war, saying talks took place with a “top person” in the Iranian leadership and suggesting both sides want to make a deal. He stated that there are“major points of agreement,” and discussions would continue over several days. Trump also said he paused planned USstrikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure for five days specifically to allow these negotiations to succeed, adding that Iran had signaled willingness on key issues such as reducing missile activity and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
What’s going on now: Iranian officials have outright rejected Trump’s claims of ongoing talks, with Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stating that “no negotiations have been held with the US” and accusing the US of spreading“fakenews to manipulate the financial and oil markets and escape the quagmire in which the US and Israel are trapped.” Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei echoed that denial, saying no discussions had taken place, while acknowledging that “messages have been received from some friendly countries regarding the US’s request for negotiations to end the war.”
At the same time, Iranian officials have signaled that indirect channels may exist even if formal talks do not. Baghaei’s comments point to third-party mediation efforts, and multiple reports indicate countries such as Pakistan, Egypt, and Turkiye have been relaying messages between the US and Iran in an attempt to de-escalate the conflict and potentially lay the groundwork for negotiations.
This all comes as mediators are reportedly trying to organize more concrete steps, including the possibility of a call or even an in-person meeting involving Iranian representatives and US envoys, potentially hosted in a third country such as Pakistan. However, as of now, Iranian officials have not confirmed any such talks, maintaining their position that no negotiations with the United States are currently underway.
