Khaberni - The Speaker of the Iranian Shura Council, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, denied on Monday any negotiations with the United States, asserting that what is circulated about progress in the talks between the two sides is "fake news" aimed at "manipulating the financial markets and oil markets".
Ghalibaf stated on the "X" platform that "the Iranian people demand the full and painful punishment of the aggressors," adding that "all Iranian officials firmly stand behind the Supreme Leader and the people until this goal is achieved".
Ghalibaf emphatically confirmed that "no negotiations with the United States have been conducted", considering that the talk about contacts or understandings is part of "attempts to influence the markets and escape from the deadlock the United States and Israel are facing".
A senior Iranian official told Reuters that the United States requested a meeting with Ghalibaf on Saturday, without mentioning a location for the proposed meeting.
The official, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the subject, added that the Supreme Council for National Security has not yet decided on any proposed talks, and that Iran has not yet responded.
The statements by the Iranian official come at a time when an Israeli official spoke about ongoing contacts to arrange a meeting between Iranian and American officials in Islamabad, Pakistan in the coming days, as part of mediation efforts led by several countries.
According to the Israeli official for the Axios website, the consultations include the possibility of Ghalibaf participating alongside other Iranian officials, while the American side may include prominent envoys, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, with the possibility of Vice President JD Vance representing at a high level.
The official noted that Witkoff and Kushner are already conducting talks with Ghalibaf in the context of arrangements for the upcoming meeting, pointing out that Israel was aware of the mediation efforts but was surprised by statements by President Donald Trump about the existence of "major points of agreement" between Washington and Tehran.
These developments coincide with Trump's announcement that the United States has conducted "constructive" talks with Iran, and that both parties are seeking to reach an agreement, which increases the likelihood of a direct meeting in the near term, despite the official Iranian denial.
