Trump claims ‘productive’ talks with Iran but Tehran denies contact | US-Israel war on Iran
Donald Trump claimed last day that there were talks between the US and Iran in which the two sides had “significant points of agreement” that prevented a potentially serious escalation of the conflict.
Tehran denied the claim; Trump also suggested a deal to end the war could be made soon. An Iranian foreign ministry spokesman said there had been no talks with the US since the bombing campaign began 24 days ago.
Trump’s threat over the weekend to “hit and destroy” Iran’s power plants and energy infrastructure if Tehran did not allow ships to pass freely through the Strait of Hormuz, and Iran’s threat to destroy infrastructure in the Middle East in retaliation, had increased fears of deepening conflict and a global economic crisis.
In a series of presidential announcements on Monday, Trump first announced on social media that he was extending the deadline by five days, saying the United States and Iran had had “very good and productive talks” in recent days, then told reporters in Palm Beach, Florida, that Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and his close aide and son-in-law Jared Kushner had had “very, very strong talks” with the Iranians the day before.
Later Monday, Trump seized the chance of a deal, saying: “We’re giving it five days and then we’ll see where it takes us. And at the end of that time, I think it could be a very good deal for everybody.”
A European official said Egypt, Pakistan and Gulf countries were conveying messages, although there were no direct negotiations between the two countries. A Pakistani official and a second source told Reuters that direct talks to end the war could be held in Islamabad this week.
The Pakistani official said that after the meeting between Trump and Pakistani Chief of General Staff Asim Munir, Witkoff and Kushner, as well as US President JD Vance, are expected to meet with Iranian officials in Islamabad this week.
The White House confirmed Trump’s meeting with Munir. Asked about a possible visit by Witkoff and Kushner to Islamabad, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said: “These are sensitive diplomatic discussions and the United States will not negotiate through the press. This is a fluid situation and speculation about meetings should not be considered final until they are officially announced by the White House.”
Oman, Türkiye, Egypt and Pakistan have reportedly been involved in efforts to end hostilities in recent days, but it is unclear how important or productive such contacts are. Omani foreign minister Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi said on Monday that Oman is working hard to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
Keir Starmer told a parliamentary committee on Monday that Britain was aware that discussions were taking place. Starmer and Trump spoke by phone late Sunday, according to Downing Street.
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen called for an immediate end to hostilities, describing a “critical” situation for global energy supply chains.
“We are all feeling the knock-on effects of gas and oil prices on our businesses and our communities,” von der Leyen said during a visit to Australia on Tuesday. “It is of great importance that we reach a solution through negotiation, and this will ensure an end to the hostilities we are seeing in the Middle East.”
In response to the intensifying energy crisis, Japan said it will release another portion of its strategic oil reserves starting Thursday and will benefit from common stocks held by producing countries in the country by the end of the month.
Early Tuesday, state-run Iranian media reported a new missile had been fired at Israel, and rescue services in Israel showed images of a damaged building in the north but reported no casualties.
Lebanese state media said Israel launched seven airstrikes overnight south of Beirut.
In all of his comments, Trump has refused to say who the US is meeting with in Iran. “We are facing a man who I believe is the most respected and ‘leader’. It’s a little difficult; we destroyed everyone,” Trump said, noting only that the United States had not met with the current religious leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei.
A senior Iranian official told Reuters that the United States had requested a meeting with Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqir Qalibaf, but the high national security council had not yet decided on any proposed meeting and Iran had not yet responded. Kalibaf himself described it as “fake news used to manipulate financial and oil markets.”
Persian news agencyThe organization, which is affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), has also previously rejected any talks with the US, saying it has neither direct nor indirect communication. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard stated that they carried out new attacks on US targets and described Trump’s words as “worn out” and “psychological operations” that had no effect on Tehran’s struggle.
Iran’s state news agency Irna quoted a foreign ministry spokesman as saying “friendly countries” had sent messages saying the United States wanted negotiations to end the war, but none had materialized.
Iran remains defiant in the face of Trump’s threats and a joint US-Israeli offensive that has lasted more than three weeks. In response to Sunday’s ultimatum, Tehran threatened to target power plants feeding US bases in the Middle East, vital desalination plants in Gulf states and intensify attacks on Israel.
More than 2 thousand people lost their lives, most of them in Iran, in the war that started between the USA and Israel on February 28. Authorities in Lebanon said that 1,039 people were killed and 2,876 people were injured in Israel’s attack on Hezbollah.
Additional reporting by Saeed Shah in Islamabad
