Trump's Iran Dialogue Claim: Market Manipulation or False Diplomacy? Tehran's Rebuttal
US President Donald Trump is under sharp scrutiny after his claim of “productive talks” with Iran sparked suspicious market turbulence. Tehran has officially denied the existence of such dialogue, calling Trump’s claim a fabrication and a “betrayal of diplomacy”, according to Tasnim News Agency.
The claim, posted by Trump on the Truth Social platform, stated that the US and Iran are engaged in talks to ease tensions, including delaying attacks on Iran’s energy infrastructure. Shortly after the post appeared, stock futures contracts surged sharply, while crude oil prices plummeted dramatically.
However, market observers have detected anomalous patterns, with a massive spike in trading activity occurring about 15 minutes before Trump’s post was published. This has fuelled suspicions of insider trading and the use of conflict disinformation for financial gain by certain parties in Washington.
Spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, Esmail Baqaei, affirmed that there has been no contact between the two countries in the last 24 days. He described Trump’s claim as a complete lie.
“We have had bad experiences with US diplomacy. We were attacked twice within nine months while in the midst of nuclear negotiations. This is a betrayal of diplomacy,” Baqaei stressed in an interview with India Today on Wednesday (25/3) local time.
In agreement with Baqaei, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi affirmed that Iran’s policy remains on the path of resistance. “Currently, our policy is to continue resistance. There are no ongoing negotiations,” Araqchi said in a separate interview with Press TV on Wednesday (25/3).
Araqchi also emphasised that Iran no longer trusts international guarantees from third parties. Instead, Iran relies on “inherent guarantees” created through military strength.
To date, Iran’s armed forces are reported to have launched at least 81 waves of retaliatory attacks against strategic US and Israeli targets in the region in response to the aggression they have received. “Through these inherent guarantees, no one will dare to go to war with the Iranian people,” Araqchi added.
Araqchi did not deny the existence of some regional diplomatic contacts with foreign ministers of neighbouring countries offering themselves as mediators. However, he firmly stated that Tehran’s position remains “principled and firm” in rejecting unilateral de-escalation claims touted by the White House.