Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday flatly rejected US President Donald Trump's assertion that the two countries are engaged in active negotiations, calling his statements a calculated move to serve American military and economic interests.
The denial came hours after Trump announced a five-day pause on US military strikes against Iranian energy infrastructure, citing what he described as ongoing diplomatic engagement with Tehran.
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The Iranian foreign ministry, in a statement quoted by state-run Mehr News Agency, said Trump's remarks were designed to drive down soaring energy prices and buy time for further military operations — not to pursue genuine diplomacy.
"The US President's statements are within the framework of efforts to reduce energy prices and gain time to implement his military plans," the ministry said.
An Iranian security official quoted by Fars News was more direct: "There's no direct or indirect contact with the US."
The official also claimed that Trump backed away from threats to strike Iran's energy infrastructure only after Tehran issued a stern warning of retaliation.
The foreign ministry acknowledged that regional countries have been pushing for de-escalation, but said those efforts should be directed at the United States — not Iran.
"We are not the party that started this war, and all these requests should be referred to Washington," the ministry stated.
The exchange follows a sharp escalation in recent days. Trump had earlier issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Iran, demanding the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz — a strategically critical waterway through which a significant share of the world's oil passes.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump warned that the US would "obliterate" Iranian power plants if the Strait was not fully reopened within that window.
Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing conflict, sending global oil markets into turmoil.
The speaker of Iran's Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, issued a sharp warning of his own on X, saying any US strike on Iranian power plants or infrastructure would trigger retaliatory attacks across the broader region.
"Immediately after the power plants and infrastructure in our country are targeted, the critical infrastructure, energy infrastructure, and oil facilities throughout the region will be considered legitimate targets and will be destroyed in an irreversible manner, and the price of oil will remain high for a long time," Ghalibaf wrote.
Trump's decision to delay military action for five days marks a notable shift from his earlier hardline posture — but Iran's swift and categorical denial of any talks suggests the diplomatic window, if it exists at all, remains narrow.
With the Strait of Hormuz still effectively closed and both sides trading conflicting accounts of where things stand, the risk of further escalation in the region remains very much alive.