Iran says it has not received any messages from Trump

Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump arrives Day 2 of the Republican National Convention (RNC), at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US, July 16, 2024.
Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump arrives Day 2 of the Republican National Convention (RNC), at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US, July 16, 2024.

Iran's president says the Islamic Republic has not received any messages from US President Donald Trump yet.

Asked by reporters about receiving a message from Trump, President Masoud Pezeshkian said, "No, we have not received any messages yet."

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also told reporters that there has been no communication with Trump. "No specific message has been sent or received."

Speaking after a cabinet meeting in Tehran, he talked of the erosion of trust after past agreements were broken.

"We had previously reached an agreement, but they broke the agreement, and now the basis is distrust," he said.

Iran engaged in 18 months of indirect negotiations with the Biden administration between 2021 and 2022 to restore the United States’ participation in the JCPOA after Trump unilaterally exited the agreement in 2018, imposing harsh sanctions on Iran. However, the Vienna talks ended without a deal, particularly after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The conflict raised questions about whether Tehran genuinely sought an agreement or aimed to ease sanctions.

Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs, Majid Takht-Ravanchi, said on Monday that Tehran is consulting on President Donald Trump's policies toward Iran and has developed strategies and plans to address them.

Takht-Ravanchi said that Iran will not engage in negotiations on issues beyond its nuclear program, potentially referencing US demands for Tehran to end its involvement in regional affairs.

Domestically, parliamentary committee member Fada-Hossein Maleki said that Iran is not authorized to engage directly with the US, maintaining only mediated channels.

Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, on Tuesday called on Iranian officials to remain vigilant about their adversaries when engaging in negotiations and to approach agreements with caution. His cryptic remarks have been interpreted by some as a subtle endorsement of talks with the United States.

"Behind the smiles of diplomacy, there are always hidden and malicious enmities and resentments. We must open our eyes and be careful with whom we are dealing, trading, and talking," Khamenei said at a gathering of top military and political figures.

Ali Khamenei has served as the supreme authority of the Islamic Republic for the majority of its nearly 46-year history, wielding ultimate decision-making power.