Iran Denies Trump's Diplomacy Claims, Insists No Negotiations Have Taken Place
Iran has dismissed the United States’ narrative on diplomatic progress, emphasising that no direct negotiations have taken place between Tehran and Washington to date. According to Iran, the contacts have been limited to the delivery of messages through mediators.
The statement was issued by Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baqaei, on Monday (30/3), amid strengthening claims from US President Donald Trump that communication channels with Tehran are showing development.
“So far, we have not engaged in direct negotiations with the United States. What exists are only messages delivered through mediators, which indicate the United States’ desire to negotiate,” Baqaei said.
This stance also serves as an open rebuttal to Washington’s narrative, which continues to portray the diplomatic channel as moving forward. Baqaei even questioned the seriousness of the diplomacy claims made by the American side.
According to him, Iran’s position has remained unchanged from the outset. Tehran claims to have stayed consistent with its framework of stance, unlike the US, which is seen as frequently shifting its political positions over time.
Baqaei also described the proposal received by Iran as “excessive” and “unrealistic”, signalling that the viewpoints of both parties are still far from a meeting point.
Iran also denied involvement in a forum held by Pakistan. Baqaei emphasised that the meeting was organised independently and Iran did not participate in it.
This statement comes after Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said Islamabad is ready to host talks between the United States and Iran as part of regional mediation efforts. Pakistan was also involved in a meeting of foreign ministers with several other countries to promote de-escalation.
On the other hand, Trump continues to push the narrative that diplomacy remains open. He previously stated that indirect talks with Iran through mediators, including Pakistan, Turkey, and Egypt, show progress and could lead to an agreement soon.
However, the latest denial from Tehran indicates that this communication channel cannot yet be called official negotiations. Iran also reminded regional countries seeking to push for an end to the war to first understand who initiated the conflict.
Tensions in the region continue to heat up since the Israeli and United States attacks on Iran on 28 February. The conflict has triggered major casualties, cross-border retaliatory strikes, infrastructure disruptions, as well as global market volatility and international flight disruptions.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on Monday (30/3) his hope to work with elements within the Iranian government.
Trump’s foreign policy advisor stated that the US has no interest in prolonging the conflict with Iran beyond three months.
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