Tehran Denies Seeking Negotiations with Washington, Rebuffing Trump's Claims

Hassan Qashqavi, spokesperson for the National Security Committee of the Iranian Parliament, affirmed that Iran is not seeking to resume negotiations with the United States to resolve existing disputes, thus refuting statements made by US President Donald Trump on the matter. Qashqavi wrote on his "X" platform account that "Trump's claim that Iran requested negotiations has no connection to the truth." He added that the US President "should look for better ways to get out of the predicament he is stuck in," noting that "repeated lies no longer achieve even short-term relief in the markets," in an allusion to the impact of US statements on oil market stability. US President Donald Trump had earlier announced that Iran was seeking a new meeting with the United States, but Washington was not currently interested in resuming negotiations "until Tehran becomes concretely ready." Trump also told reporters during his reception of Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at the White House that "Iran has seen nothing yet," clarifying that the United States "has not finished its work at all" with Iran, as the US military continued bombing Iranian infrastructure for the tenth consecutive night. Trump affirmed that the blockade imposed on Iranian ports would continue. In a related context, Trump emphasized that Iran would not obtain nuclear weapons, adding: "We will strike any Iranian facility where nuclear weapons are manufactured." He also announced that "the United States will strike the Jabal Al-Fa'as region in Iran very soon." These developments come as Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif affirmed his country's commitment to continue its role as an impartial mediator to de-escalate tensions between Tehran and Washington, calling on all parties to exercise restraint and avoid any steps that would destabilize the region. Sharif expressed his concern over the recent escalation in the Gulf region during his reception of Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni, affirming that his country would continue its mediation efforts and facilitate dialogue. Pakistan had previously announced that it "would continue to encourage all parties to end violence and resume technical discussions" as part of its diplomatic efforts aimed at promoting regional peace and stability. For his part, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ismail Baqa'i confirmed in a press conference that diplomatic contacts with the United States through mediators are still ongoing despite US military strikes on the country. This comes amidst oil prices rising to their highest level in five weeks after US forces bombed targets in southern and western Iran, while Tehran launched attacks on US facilities in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan.