Qalibaf rejects US talks as ‘fake news’ amid murmurs of role as interlocutor with Trump’s team

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iranian officials on Monday denied that talks were underway with the United States, while noting that some “friendly countries” have reached out regarding a request for engagement from Washington. The remarks come amid media reports that US President Donald Trump’s envoys have been engaging with conservative politician and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, who himself denied the claims as “fake news.”

“No negotiations have been held with the US," Qalibaf said in a Monday statement on X, claiming that "fake news" is being used to "manipulate the financial and oil markets and escape the quagmire in which the US and Israel are trapped."

The Iranian parliament speaker and former Tehran mayor further noted that “all Iranian officials stand firmly behind their Supreme Leader,” Mojtaba Khamenei, and that the Iranian people's demand from the ongoing war is "a complete and remorseful punishment of the aggressors.”

Qalibaf’s remarks came shortly after US President Trump on Monday said that Washington and Tehran held “very good and productive conversations” over the past two days aimed at a “complete and total resolution” of hostilities in the Middle East, in a post on his Truth Social platform.

Later in the day, speaking to reporters at an airport in Florida, Trump said Iran wanted “to make a deal,” adding that US envoys “are dealing with a man that I believe is the most respected, not the Supreme Leader [Mojtaba Khamenei]; we have not heard from him,” Trump said.

The American news website Axios reported on Monday that the figure in reference was indeed Qalibaf, citing an Israeli official as stating that US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner had been in touch with the Iranian parliament speaker, and that Egypt, Pakistan, and Turkey had passed messages between Washington and Tehran on Sunday and were attempting to set up a call on Monday between Qalibaf and Trump’s team.

If held, the call could determine whether an in-person meeting takes place, the unnamed source reportedly added.

Meanwhile, Iranian foreign ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei was quoted by state media as noting that Tehran has over the past few days "received messages from some friendly countries" about "the United States’ request to conduct negotiations to end the war."

The Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) further cited Baghaei as stating that these messages "were responded to appropriately" and adding that warnings had also been issued about the "severe consequences" of any attack on Iran’s energy infrastructure, which would prompt "a decisive, immediate and effective response" from Tehran.

The Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson further stated that "there have been no negotiations with the United States" since the beginning of the Iran war and that Tehran’s "stance on the Strait of Hormuz and the conditions for ending the imposed war remain unchanged."

The window for potential engagement follows an ultimatum issued by Trump on Saturday, in which he threatened to strike Iranian power plants if the Strait of Hormuz was not reopened within 48 hours. However, on Monday, the US president said he had “instructed the Department of War to postpone any and all military strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for a five-day period,” seemingly to allow time for talks.

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