Reza Amiri Moghadam, Iran’s ambassador to Pakistan, denied on Wednesday that Tehran and Washington were in talks, defying statements made by US President Donald Trump that suggested the crisis was getting closer to a settlement.
The envoy was reported by AFP as stating, “We have heard such reports in the media, but according to my information, no direct or indirect talks have taken place so far.”
He described the present confrontations as “illegitimate aggression,” adding that although friendly governments frequently try to negotiate, there was no real engagement between both sides.
Iran’s military rejected Washington’s claims of diplomacy, echoing the ambassador’s stance.
According to official media, Ebrahim Zolfaqari, a spokesperson for Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, stated that the US was essentially “negotiating with itself.”
He emphasized that pre-war economic conditions would not return until Washington changed its strategy and cautioned that regional stability would continue to be dependent on Iran’s military posture.
Fighting escalated around the Middle East amid the diplomatic spat, with Iran firing a new round of missiles and drones early on Wednesday.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claim that Israel and US military installations in Kuwait, Jordan, and Bahrain were the targets of the attacks.
Missile tracks were seen over Netanya, and reports of air raid sirens were made throughout central Israel.
Jordan confirmed falling debris near Amman, while a drone strike in Kuwait struck a fuel tank at the international airport, igniting a fire. In reaction to the danger, Bahrain also turned on its air defense systems.
The crisis started on February 28 after Israel and the United States launched synchronized strikes on Iran. Since then, it has extended throughout the Middle East, further destabilizing an already unstable region.
Once seen to be reasonably secure, Gulf countries are now dealing with increasing security threats, which have a significant impact on the travel and aviation industries.
Israeli soldiers have stepped up their operations against Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon as a result of the violence. In the midst of extensive damage in Beirut’s southern suburbs, authorities report that over 1,000 people have died and over a million have been evacuated.
Trump maintained that talks were in progress despite Tehran’s denials.
He stated, “We are in negotiations right now,” asserting that Iran has made a “very big present” related to the vital Strait of Hormuz. He did not elaborate.
Even though sources point to potential backchannel diplomacy utilizing middlemen like Pakistan, Iranian authorities have not officially confirmed the idea.
According to reports, the US is getting ready for more escalation, including plans to send more troops to the area.
Given its importance to the world’s oil supply, the Strait of Hormuz continues to be a crucial flashpoint in the situation.
Iran promised that “non-hostile vessels” will be permitted safe passage in a message distributed through the International Maritime Organization.
It did, however, issue a warning that ships associated with the United States and Israel, which it referred to as “aggressor parties,” might not be allowed entry.
Global markets have already been shaken by the disruption, which has forced nations to reduce their energy use and forced airlines to cancel or reroute flights.
The conflict’s wider economic ramifications are starting to become apparent.
Jean-Marie Paugam, a senior World Trade Organization official, cautioned that supply disruptions, especially in fertilizers, might have long-term implications on the world’s food output.
He stated, “If fertilizer supplies are impacted, it will affect both output and prices, with effects carrying into future harvests.”
Uncertainty in the Middle East and the world economy is still fueled by the stark differences between Tehran and Washington as well as the rising military actions, despite faint hints of diplomacy.
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