Iran Denies 'Direct' Talks with US, Acknowledges Messages Via Mediators

Iran's Foreign Ministry denies direct talks with the US but confirms receiving messages via mediators. This comes as Donald Trump claims progress in indirect talks and threatens to target Iran's civilian energy infrastructure.

Iran Denies Direct Talks with US

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said that the country has held no "direct" talks with the United States as of now and added that it has received messages through some mediators regarding the US' desire for negotiations, according to a report by Press TV on Monday.

As per Press TV, Baghaei said during a press conference, "It seems quite natural that when the US raises the issues of negotiations and diplomacy, sensitivities will be increased. It is not clear how much, even inside the US, the country's claims about diplomacy and negotiations are seriously taken into account. Reactions and reflections also show that the extent of global trust in the US claims in the field of diplomacy is very limited". He slammed the US and said that Iran, while Washington's stance has been constantly changing, Tehran has had a clear stance on the negotiations.

The Foreign Ministry Spokesperson emphasised that Iran did not participate in a four-sided meeting in Islamabad on Saturday hosted by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and attended by the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt.

Trump Claims Progress, Issues Threats

His remarks come after the Financial Times had reported that US President Donald Trump claimed that indirect negotiations between the United States and Iran, facilitated by Pakistani intermediaries, are making "positive progress". Meanwhile, in a post on X, Iranian state media Press TV also denied the claims by Trump on talks with Iran.

The developments come as Trump has threatened to target Iran's civilian energy infrastructure, including power plants, oil wells and Kharg Island, if Tehran does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz. In a social media post, Trump said, "Great progress has been made but, if for any reason a deal is not shortly reached, which it probably will be, and if the Hormuz Strait is not immediately 'Open for Business,' we will conclude our lovely 'stay' in Iran by blowing up and completely obliterating all of their Electric Generating Plants, Oil Wells and Kharg Island."

He noted that Washington is engaging in "serious discussions" with a "new, and more reasonable" leadership in Tehran to bring an end to US military operations, a conflict that has lasted more than a month amid escalating regional tensions. Trump's remarks came against a backdrop of heightened global concern over the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for nearly one-fifth of world oil flows. The president urged Iran to ensure that the waterway is "Open for Business," tying the resumption of maritime traffic directly to progress in talks aimed at ending hostilities.

Kharg Island serves as Iran's main oil export hub, handling the vast majority of the country's crude shipments, and even though US strikes earlier in the conflict have targeted military assets on the island, its energy infrastructure had largely been left intact until now.

Regional Tensions Escalate with Israeli Strike

As tensions escalate in the region, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) on Monday claimed it targeted the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC) key military university, Imam Hossein University, citing its role in advancing Iran's military capabilities. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)