Iran has dismissed claims by US President Donald Trump that Washington and Tehran are engaged in talks to end hostilities, calling the reports “fake news” and accusing the US of trying to manipulate global oil markets.
Trump said on his Truth Social platform on Monday that the US and Iran had held discussions on the “complete and total resolution” of the conflict, adding that he had postponed planned military strikes on Iranian power plants for five days to allow negotiations to continue.
He also warned that Iran had “one more chance” to make peace.
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) March 23, 2026
However, Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, rejected those claims, insisting no such talks had taken place.
1/ Iranian people demand complete and remorseful punishment of the aggressors.
All Irainan officials stand firmly behind their supreme leader and people until this goal is achieved.— محمدباقر قالیباف | MB Ghalibaf (@mb_ghalibaf) March 23, 2026
The apparent diplomatic shift comes just days after Trump threatened to “obliterate” Iran’s energy infrastructure if it failed to reopen the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
Iran has, however, repeatedly stated that the Strait is only closed to the US, Israel and its allies.
– Strait of Hormuz is not closed. Ships hesitate because insurers fear the war of choice you initiated—not Iran
– No insurer—and no Iranian—will be swayed by more threats. Try respect
– Freedom of Navigation cannot exist without Freedom of Trade. Respect both—or expect neither
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) March 22, 2026
Trump’s increasingly erratic pronouncements on the conflict have been raising eyebrows.
Trump has repeatedly claimed to have “won” the war against Iran, often coinciding with claims that Iran’s military capabilities were “destroyed”.
The pre-text for the war has also shifted numerous times. The director of the National Counterterrorism Centre, Joe Kent, resigned recently, citing that Iran posed no threat to the US and that the war was being driven by Israeli pressure.
During a recent media briefing with Japan’s Prime Minister, Trump referenced the Attack on Pearl Harbour while defending his decision not to inform allies ahead of US strikes on Iran, a comment that appeared to unsettle Japanese officials.
“Why didn’t you tell me about Pearl Harbour?”
Donald Trump replies to a reporter, after he is questioned about why he did not tell U.S. allies about his plan to strike Iran, during his meeting with Japan’s PM
Read more: https://t.co/P2JDaUI1jo
📺 Sky 501 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/yNRWwqpcw3
— Sky News (@SkyNews) March 19, 2026
In another controversial post, Trump reacted to the death of former FBI director Robert Mueller with a message that was widely condemned as inappropriate.
On the policy front, the administration has been criticised for abruptly lifting sanctions on Iranian oil, a move seen by some analysts as contradictory, given ongoing hostilities.
At a gathering in Memphis on Monday, he seemed to throw his Secretary of Defence, Pete Hegseth, under the bus, saying he was the first one to speak out in favour of going to war.
Trump on Iran:
Pete Hegseth was the first one to speak up. He said, “Let’s do it.” pic.twitter.com/Wuld1wxIT0
— Clash Report (@clashreport) March 23, 2026
The rapidly changing developments have the world spinning, with huge uncertainty about what every next day will bring. There is also an enormous amount of fake news and propaganda about the war. This, while the death toll keeps rising.
