Iran Says US Is ‘Begging’ for Talks as Trump Denies Claims

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Washington was now seeking negotiations after failing to achieve its objectives through military pressure, according to Iranian state-linked reports. Araghchi said any talks would have to take place on terms acceptable to Tehran, while Iranian officials continued to reject the suggestion that the country was seeking an agreement from a position of weakness. The comments came after Trump denied that the United States was engaged in negotiations with Iran, adding to uncertainty over whether indirect contacts were taking place through regional intermediaries.

The competing claims come amid a broader confrontation involving Iran's nuclear program, U.S. sanctions and military pressure, as well as tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global energy shipments. Iranian officials have sought to link any negotiations to conditions involving sanctions and the strait, while Washington has continued to demand concessions from Tehran. If diplomatic contacts resume, the dispute over who is seeking talks and on whose terms could complicate efforts to establish a formal negotiating framework and reduce the risk of further escalation.