Claims by Donald Trump that the United States is engaged in “good and productive conversations” with Iran have been firmly denied by Tehran, further clouding the already tense standoff between the two sides.

Iran’s Parliamentary Speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, dismissed the assertion, stating that no negotiations are currently taking place. In remarks posted on social media, he accused Washington of spreading “fake news” in an attempt to manipulate global financial and oil markets during a period of heightened volatility.

“No negotiations have been held with the US, and fake news is used to manipulate the financial and oil markets and escape the quagmire in which the US and Israel are trapped,” he said late Monday.

The denial comes after Trump signaled a temporary pause in planned military strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure, including power plants, following his earlier ultimatum that Tehran reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours or face attack.

Analysts question timing of “talks”

Political analyst Mitchell Plitnick suggested the claim of ongoing talks may have been aimed more at calming markets than reflecting genuine diplomatic progress.

“He saw that markets were likely to react negatively to threats of attacking Iran’s electrical grid and moved to stabilize the situation,” Plitnick said, adding that there is no evidence of active communication between Washington and Tehran.

Iranian officials have consistently maintained that there has been no direct contact with the U.S., reinforcing skepticism over Trump’s statements.

Strategic stakes remain high

The dispute is closely tied to control of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime chokepoint through which a large share of the world’s oil supply passes. Iran has warned it could restrict or even close the waterway if its territory or infrastructure is targeted, a move that could have far-reaching consequences for global energy markets.

Analysts note that this leverage gives Tehran a significant strategic advantage in the ongoing war, particularly as fears of supply disruptions continue to influence oil prices and global economic stability.

Fragile pause amid risk of escalation

While Trump has delayed potential strikes for several days, the situation remains highly volatile. The absence of confirmed diplomatic engagement raises concerns that the pause may be temporary, with the risk of rapid escalation still looming.

As tensions persist, international observers continue to call for transparency, restraint, and renewed diplomatic efforts to prevent a broader conflict in the region.

President Donald Trump backed down on targeting Iran’s power network on Monday, saying the U.S. and ​Iran have held constructive talks and that he would ‌postpone any strikes on power plants and energy infrastructure, Reuters reported.

Trump’s statement came after Iran threatened to attack Israel’s power plants and those supplying U.S. bases ​across the Gulf region if the U.S. targets Iran’s ​power network.

The dollar plunged and ​stocks surged following Trump’s post.

The United States and Iran “have had, over ​the last two days, very good and productive conversations regarding a complete and total resolution of our hostilities in the Middle East,” Trump wrote ​in a post on Truth Social.

“I have instructed the Department ​of War to postpone any and all military strikes against Iranian power plants ‌and ⁠energy infrastructure for a five-day period, subject to the success of the ongoing meetings and discussions.”

On Saturday, Trump warned that Iranian power plants would be destroyed if Tehran failed to “fully open” ​the Strait of ​Hormuz to ⁠all shipping within 48 hours. Trump set a deadline of around 7:44 p.m. EDT (2344 GMT) on ​Monday.

Iranian attacks have effectively closed the Strait, which ​carries a ⁠fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas, read the report.

More than 2,000 people have been killed in the war the U.S. and Israel ⁠launched ​on February 28, which has upended markets, ​driven up fuel costs, fuelled global inflation fears and convulsed the postwar Western ​alliance.