Iran dismisses Trump's claim of talks on total resolution as ‘fake news’, accuses market manipulation

Iran firmly denied on Monday claims by US President Donald Trump that negotiations toward peace are underway, dismissing them as “fake news” aimed at manipulating oil and financial markets. Tehran’s leadership said no talks had taken place, accusing Washington of trying to project diplomatic progress while continuing military pressure.

The sharp rebuttal comes even as Trump announced a five-day pause on targeting Iran’s energy infrastructure, citing what he described as “productive” backchannel discussions.

On the ground, however, events have moved in the opposite direction, with fresh strikes hitting gas facilities and pipelines in Tehran, suggesting escalation continues.


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With attacks intensifying, regional spillover growing and signals from Washington, Tehran and Tel Aviv increasingly at odds, the conflict is entering a phase where diplomacy and warfare are unfolding in parallel and contradicting matter.

Iran rejects talks as 'fake news'

Iran’s political leadership moved swiftly to push back against Washington’s claims of ongoing negotiations, sharpening the war of narratives alongside the conflict on the ground.

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf publicly dismissed the assertions as “fake news,” accusing the United States of trying to manipulate oil and financial markets and deflect from mounting pressure in the war.

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Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards reinforced that stance, calling the claims “psychological operations” designed to project weakness onto Tehran while buying time diplomatically. They insisted such messaging had no impact on Iran’s military calculations, adding that operations would continue unabated.

Officials also signalled that any notion of de-escalation was premature, with rhetoric emphasising retaliation and accountability rather than compromise.

Ghalibaf said Iranian leadership remained aligned behind the country’s supreme leadership and committed to pursuing what he described as a “decisive response” to aggression.

Even as indirect channels through regional intermediaries such as Gulf states and Pakistan were reported, Tehran maintained there had been no direct engagement with Washington.

Energy infra remains under attack

Despite the announcement of a pause, strikes on Iran’s energy network have continued, reinforcing the sense that developments on the ground are diverging sharply from political messaging.

Tehran’s semi-official Fars News Agency reported that gas facilities in Isfahan were hit, including a pressure reduction station and offices linked to a gas company - key components in maintaining steady fuel supply across regions.

In Khorramshahr, a separate strike targeted a pipeline feeding a power station, raising concerns about disruptions not just to electricity generation but also to industrial activity dependent on stable energy flows.