TEHRAN: Iran has denied that it had engaged in any negotiations with the United States, contradicting claims by Donald Trump that recent discussions had led him to delay a planned military strike.
Trump said earlier that Washington had held “very good and productive” talks with Iranian representatives about achieving a complete resolution of hostilities in the Middle East, and as a result he decided to postpone a proposed attack on Iran’s power grid for five days.
According to Trump, discussions were conducted by his envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner, who he said had been in contact with a senior Iranian official and would continue negotiations.
Speaking to reporters, Trump expressed optimism that the talks could lead to a deal, describing them as strong and suggesting that most key points were close to agreement, though he did not identify the Iranian figure involved.
Tehran, however, rejected the claims outright, with a senior official dismissing them as false and suggesting they were intended to influence financial markets. The conflicting narratives added uncertainty to an already tense situation, even as Trump’s remarks had an immediate impact on global markets, pushing stock prices higher and sending oil prices lower after earlier volatility triggered by threats of escalation.
The absence of independent confirmation and Iran’s firm denial have left the true state of any diplomatic contact unclear.–Reuters
