Trump Says U.S. Is Negotiating With Iran, Which Publicly Denies His Claim - The New York Times

The New York Times
March 23, 2026
3 min read

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Trump claims the U.S. is negotiating with Iran; Iran's government publicly denies any talks.

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President Trump claimed the U.S. is currently negotiating with Iran, a statement Iran's government publicly rejected. The disagreement underscores the opacity surrounding any potential diplomatic talks between Washington and Tehran, where both sides control the narrative through public statements. Trump's assertion could signal either back-channel efforts or a negotiating tactic, while Iran's denial may reflect domestic political pressure or an attempt to avoid appearing weak to hardliners at home. The competing claims highlight the deep mistrust between the two nations, which have been at odds over Iran's nuclear program and regional activities for years. Any actual negotiations would represent a significant shift, as formal diplomatic relations have been strained since Trump's first term, when he withdrew from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

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