Iranian media outlets have backtracked on claims President Masoud Pezeshkian ordered a return to nuclear talks with the United States, fuelling fresh uncertainty over the state of diplomacy between the two rivals.
Several Iranian outlets, including Tasnim and Fars, had published claims on Monday that President Masoud Pezeshkian instructed officials to restart nuclear talks with the United States. The reports, based on unnamed sources, appeared to signal a diplomatic opening.
Tasnim later softened its claim, saying that “further follow-ups” showed “details of the negotiations are not yet finalised” and that next steps would depend on the formation of a framework. Fars removed its report entirely from its website and social media channels.
At a weekly press briefing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran is examining potential formats for engagement and stressed that any talks must prioritise sanctions relief. He confirmed that messages are being exchanged with Washington but said Iran has not received “any kind of ultimatum or deadline.” He did not indicate that Pezeshkian had authorised negotiations or that a timetable exists.
Iran’s top security official, Ali Larijani, added to the ambiguity when he said in a social media post on Saturday that a “structured framework” for negotiations is “taking shape and moving forward,” without specifying whether this referred to the nuclear file.
The claims emerged as regional diplomacy intensified, with Türkiye and other states working to prevent further escalation. Tensions have risen in recent weeks, with U.S. President Donald Trump deploying additional military assets while expressing hope that a deal with Iran could still be reached.
Iran and the United States last held indirect nuclear talks in June 2025, before negotiations were suspended following a 12-day confrontation triggered by an Israeli strike on Iranian territory. Tehran blamed Washington for the escalation and halted contact. Since then, attempts to revive talks have faltered amid disputes over sanctions relief and guarantees for any potential agreement.
With no confirmation from either government and no details on participants, venue or timing the status of any renewed talks remains uncertain.
Iran maintains that its nuclear programme is peaceful, while the United States and its allies warn that expanding enrichment activities risk reducing Iran’s breakout time. Since the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) eroded following Washington’s 2018 withdrawal, efforts to rebuild trust have repeatedly stalled.
A landslide has left one man missing while an apartment block has collapsed in Russia’s southern region of Dage...
At least 70 people are missing and two bodies have been recovered after a boat carrying migrants capsi...
The U.S. rescued an airman missing from one of two warplanes downed in Iran, two U.S. officials said, as President...
Fuel leaked at Russia’s Baltic Sea port of Primorsk, while the NORSI oil refinery caught fire following drone attacks, Russian authorities sa...
Israeli airstrikes on the town of Kfar Hatta in Lebanon have reportedly killed six people and injured two, acco...
At least 70 people are missing and two bodies have been recovered after a boat carrying migrants capsized in the Mediterranean Sea, an Italian NGO said on Sunday (5 April).
The family of the late Virginia Giuffre have urged King Charles III to meet survivors of sexual abuse during his upcoming state visit to the United States.
India has purchased crude oil from Iran for the first time in seven years, as supply disruptions in the Middle East threaten global energy markets.
British police have arrested a fourth person in connection with an arson attack on ambulances belonging to a Jewish community charity. The arrest took place at a London court on Saturday, where three other suspects were already appearing.
One U.S. crew member has been rescued after two American warplanes were downed over Iran and the Gulf, as the search continues for a missing pilot, while President Donald Trump has given Tehran 48 hours to agree to a deal to end the war.
The U.N. Security Council is expected to vote next week on a Bahraini resolution to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and protect commercial shipping, diplomats said on Friday, amid opposition from China to any authorisation of force.
The U.S. rescued an airman missing from one of two warplanes downed in Iran, two U.S. officials said, as President Donald Trump and Israel stepped up pressure on Iran to open the strategic Strait of Hormuz or face attacks on energy facilities.
The family of the late Virginia Giuffre have urged King Charles III to meet survivors of sexual abuse during his upcoming state visit to the United States.
Senegal has taken steps to curb government spending by banning non-essential foreign travel for ministers, as rising global oil prices place increasing pressure on the country’s finances.
A landslide has left one man missing while an apartment block has collapsed in Russia’s southern region of Dagestan, as flooding and heavy rain continue to batter the North Caucasus for a second week.
The U.S. rescued an airman missing from one of two warplanes downed in Iran, two U.S. officials said, as President Donald Trump and Israel stepped up pressure on Iran to open the strategic Strait of Hormuz or face attacks on energy facilities.
Israeli airstrikes on the town of Kfar Hatta in Lebanon have reportedly killed six people and injured two, according to Lebanese media.
The United States rescued an airman caught behind lines after Iran shot down his F-15 fighter jet, the U.S. government said early on Sunday (5 April), resolving a major crisis for President Donald Trump with the war on Iran in its sixth week.
India has purchased crude oil from Iran for the first time in seven years, as supply disruptions in the Middle East threaten global energy markets.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment