Iran Rejects Trump’s Talks Offer, Calling Negotiations a Pretext for Military Attack

Recently, U.S. President Trump claimed that the United States and Iran had engaged in “very good and productive” dialogue, and directed that all military strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure be suspended. However, the Iranian side immediately denied this claim, accusing Trump of waging “psychological warfare” and manipulating the markets. Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Baghaei explicitly stated that Iran has not engaged in any negotiations with the United States, and that Iran’s stance regarding the Strait of Hormuz issue and the conditions for ending the conflict remains unchanged. Furthermore, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, took to social media to bluntly declare that the reports of negotiations were “disinformation,” designed solely to manipulate financial and oil markets and to help the United States and Israel extricate themselves from their current “quagmire.” Trump’s latest remarks generally suggest that he is unwilling to readily accept Iran’s proposals for peace talks; yet, in light of the complexities of the Middle East situation, he has not entirely ruled out the possibility of future engagement. However, just as market bulls were celebrating and bears were cutting their losses, the narrative took a swift and dramatic turn. The Iranian side quickly stepped forward to categorically deny the existence of any negotiations, accusing Trump of waging “psychological warfare” and manipulating the markets. In response, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Araghchi stated that equal dialogue between the two sides would only be possible if the United States ceased its sanctions and military threats against Iran. He emphasized that Iran has always respected international law and the UN Charter, firmly opposes any form of military threat, and reiterated its resolve to defend all of its legitimate national rights and interests.