Iranian Government Denies Dialogue with Trump: Manipulation Attempt

The Iranian government has denied holding talks with United States President Donald Trump. The Iranian government asserts that this is an attempt by Trump to manipulate financial and oil markets.

Quoted from AFP on Tuesday (24/3/2026), this denial was issued by Iran’s parliamentary speaker and one of the country’s most prominent non-clerical figures, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. He stated that no negotiations are currently underway with Trump.

“Trump is attempting to manipulate financial and oil markets and to escape the quagmire trapping the US and Israel,” said Ghalibaf.

Subsequently, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baqaei, stated that messages had been received from “several friendly countries indicating a US request for negotiations aimed at ending the war”. However, he denied that such talks have taken place.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had spoken with Trump and acknowledged that the US believes a deal may be possible, but pledged to continue attacks on Iran and Lebanon to protect Israel.

“Trump believes there is an opportunity to leverage the extraordinary achievements of the IDF and the US military to achieve the war’s objectives in a deal – a deal that will protect our vital interests,” he said.

“At the same time, we continue to strike both in Iran and in Lebanon,” he added.

Although Oman served as a mediator in indirect talks between the US and Iran before the US and Israel launched the war, Egypt, Qatar, and Pakistan have been proposed as alternative intermediaries.