Tehran – Iran has refuted claims of ongoing direct negotiations with the United States, despite recent reports suggesting otherwise. Speaking at his weekly press conference, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ismail Baghaei dismissed assertions of direct talks, contradicting earlier statements.
Baghaei clarified that the recent visit of Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Takht-Ravanchi to Oman did not involve the delivery of any direct messages from the American side. He acknowledged that intermediaries continue their efforts to bridge the gap between the two nations, a practice he described as common and routine. However, he emphasized that the exchange of messages through these intermediaries does not constitute the commencement of direct negotiations.
His comments follow remarks made by government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani on Sunday, who indicated that Tehran had received messages from Washington regarding the resumption of talks. These contrasting statements create a sense of uncertainty surrounding the diplomatic situation.
The denial also comes after Omani Foreign Minister Badr Al-Busaidi expressed his country’s desire to see a resumption of negotiations between Tehran and Washington during a discussion at the annual Manama Dialogue conference. Al-Busaidi revealed that Oman had hosted five rounds of talks this year. He further stated that a sixth round, potentially decisive, was scuttled due to what Oman described as “sabotage and illegal” attacks by Israel targeting Iranian military and nuclear sites, as well as the assassination of numerous nuclear scientists.
Iran and the United States previously engaged in five rounds of indirect negotiations concerning the nuclear program. These talks were suspended following recent developments, including the alleged Israeli actions, which led to the cancellation of the planned sixth round in June. The future of any potential dialogue remains uncertain.
DZWatch will continue to monitor this developing situation and provide updates as they become available. This is a developing story.
