Iran denies seeking US talks as former FM alleges Washington's 'deception' campaign

Iran has denied seeking negotiations with the United States, saying it only responded to a request from a regional mediator, while a former foreign minister accused Washington of using diplomacy as a cover to pursue regime change. "Iran made no request for negotiations with the US. However, we did not reject a request by one of the regional mediators to visit Iran and discuss the latest developments," foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said.

Baghaei said the Qatari mediator visited the northeastern city of Mashhad on Friday (July 10), where Iranian officials conveyed Tehran's views and positions to the Qatari side, according to Iranian state television. His remarks came amid continued speculation over possible indirect contacts between Tehran and Washington following heightened regional tensions.

Separately, former Iranian foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki claimed previous diplomatic efforts were part of a broader US strategy to mislead Iran. Speaking in an interview with Iranian state television, Mottaki said talks held in Islamabad formed part of what he described as a US "deception" aimed at undermining the Islamic Republic.

"Islamabad was a plan, a broader scheme of deception and manoeuvring by the United States. The Americans had a plan that they thought they could finish within two or three days and achieve their goal, which was to bring an end to the Islamic Republic. They failed," Mottaki said. He urged Iranian negotiators to recognise what he described as Washington's intentions, adding that those who disagreed should listen to officials who held that assessment.

Mottaki further alleged that the US had not abandoned its objective, claiming Washington was not genuinely interested in negotiations or back-channel communications but instead sought to achieve its goals through "a targeted war, a temporary war, a short-term war", or other means.