Iran denies holding talks with US
Donald Trump, US President (photo: Getty Images)
Iranian media linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps say no talks were held with the US, reports the Clash Report.
Spokesperson of Iran's Committee on National Security and Foreign Policy Ebrahim Rezaei said that the United States and its president, Donald Trump, "have once again been defeated."
"The battle continues… and another defeat for the devil. Trump and the United States have once again been defeated," he said.
Iran's Foreign Ministry also claims that there is no dialogue, and Donald Trump is simply trying to buy time while regional efforts toward de-escalation continue.
Background
Today, March 23, Trump, after talks with Iran, ordered to postpone strikes on the country's energy infrastructure. According to him, over the past two days, Washington and Tehran held "very good and productive conversations" on resolving the conflict in the Middle East.
Trump noted that he ordered the delay of strikes on Iran's energy infrastructure for five days — provided that further talks are successful.
After the US president's statement, Brent oil prices dropped sharply. According to ICE data, it is now trading at around 99.9 dollars per barrel, whereas before the statement, the price was 112.9 dollars.
European natural gas prices also fell sharply.
Trump's ultimatum
On March 22, Trump issued an ultimatum to Iran, demanding that the Hormuz Strait be opened within two days. He stated that if Tehran does not do this within 48 hours, the US will strike and destroy its various power plants, starting with the largest.
In Tehran, it was stated that if their fuel and energy complex is struck, a response will be carried out against US energy, information technology, and desalination infrastructure in the region.
