Top Iranian official claims no ongoing negotiations with US after Trump praised ‘very good and productive talks’
Iran’s parliamentary speaker has rejected claims that Iran is in direct negotiations with the United States about ending the war or reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Mohammad Baqher Ghalibaf pushed back against statements from President Trump, who said the United States had held “very good and productive talks” with Iranian officials aimed at stopping the conflict. Ghalibaf dismissed the claim in a post on X, stating that no negotiations had taken place.
He accused the United States of spreading false information to influence global financial and oil markets and to distract from what he described as difficulties faced by the U.S. and Israel in the conflict. Ghalibaf also said the Iranian people expect those responsible for the attacks on Iran to face full consequences. He added that government officials remain united with the country’s supreme leader and the Iranian public until that objective is achieved.
Iranian officials have repeatedly rejected reports that their leadership has been directly communicating with Washington. The speculation about possible talks had contributed to a rebound in stock and oil prices earlier in the week.
President Trump, however, maintained that communication was taking place. He said his administration had been speaking with a highly respected figure inside Iran’s leadership structure about ending the war. Some Israeli media outlets identified that person as Ghalibaf.
Trump said the ongoing conflict had disrupted normal channels of communication, noting that recent U.S. and Israeli strikes had killed dozens of senior Iranian officials, making coordination within Iran more difficult. Despite that, he said the discussions that had taken place were significant.
The president said that if negotiations succeed, the conflict could be resolved. If not, he warned that military strikes would continue.
According to reports cited by Axios, Israeli officials believe Ghalibaf has emerged as Iran’s main contact in potential negotiations. They claim he may be communicating directly or indirectly with Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Tehran has acknowledged that the United States has attempted to initiate talks through countries that maintain diplomatic relations with Iran. However, Iranian leaders insist that no direct communication between the two governments has occurred so far.
Ghalibaf also responded to a warning from President Trump that Iran had until Monday night to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face U.S. military action against its power infrastructure. The Iranian official rejected the ultimatum and said Iran would not make concessions under threat.
He warned that if the United States followed through with the threat, Iran could target American infrastructure and energy facilities across the Middle East. He added that U.S. military bases and financial institutions connected to the American armed forces could be treated as legitimate targets.
Ghalibaf, 64, previously served as an air force commander and mayor of Tehran. He has been speaker of Iran’s parliament since 2020 and is known for his leadership among Iran’s hardline Principlist political faction.
During his time in parliament, he has often led lawmakers in chants condemning the United States and Israel. He has also been a political rival to the reformist-leaning faction once associated with Ali Larijani, who had been viewed by some as a central figure in Iranian leadership following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at the start of the war.
Analysts say Ghalibaf’s close ties with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps have positioned him as a powerful figure in Tehran. Many observers view him as an important link between Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s state institutions, and the IRGC.
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