Iran: No negotiations have been held with the US, the people demand to be punished in the harshest way.

23.03.2026 20:21

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf denied U.S. President Donald Trump's statements about having discussions with Iran. Stating that the Iranian people demand the harshest punishment for the aggressors, Qalibaf said, "No negotiations have taken place with the U.S. Fake news is being used to manipulate financial and oil markets and to rescue the U.S. and Israel from the deadlock they are in."

The Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, denied the statements made by U.S. President Donald Trump regarding discussions with Iran.

"NO NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE U.S., THE AIM IS TO MANIPULATE FINANCE AND OIL MARKETS"

Qalibaf stated, "The Iranian people demand the harshest punishment for the aggressors. Until this goal is achieved, all Iranian officials stand firmly behind their supreme leader and their people. There have been no negotiations with the U.S.; fake news is being used to manipulate finance and oil markets and to extricate the U.S. and Israel from the deadlock they are in," he said.

TRUMP DID NOT NAME NAMES

In response to the question of who was discussed on the Iranian side, Trump stated, "With the highest-level names. As you know, we largely eliminated the leadership. But we are talking to the person I think is the most respected and in a leadership position." When asked if the person discussed was the country's new religious leader, Trump replied, "No, not the religious leader. He is no longer a decisive figure. There is no such thing as a second religious leader. We haven't heard from his son either. We don't know if he is alive. But it seems there are some people who are running the country. We base this on the facts because what they said has come true."

CLAIM THAT THE PERSON DISCUSSED BY THE U.S. WAS QALIBAF

An unnamed senior Iranian official claimed that the U.S. requested a meeting with Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf last Saturday. The official stated that the Iranian administration has not yet responded to this request, and that the request has not yet been evaluated by the Iranian Supreme National Security Council.

An Israeli official also noted that according to the assessments of the Tel Aviv administration, U.S.-Iran discussions are being conducted through Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf; however, the negotiations are mostly progressing indirectly rather than directly.