Iran Rejects U.S. Claims of Secret Talks as Second Strike Group Moves In
Iranian FM Abbas Araghchi denies reports of talks with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, calling diplomacy under threat "ineffective." The denial follows Trump’s announcement of a "beautiful armada" sailing toward Iran to force a nuclear deal.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has flatly denied reports of recent direct communication with the White House, even as President Trump announced that a second "beautiful armada" is currently sailing toward the Islamic Republic.
Speaking to reporters today (Wednesdsay), Araghchi dismissed claims by U.S. officials that a channel of communication is active between himself and Steve Witkoff, the U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East. "I have had no contact with Mr. Witkoff in recent days, and we have not requested negotiations," Araghchi stated, according to the ISNA news agency. He added that while indirect intermediaries remain active, "diplomacy pursued through military threats cannot produce results."
Araghchi’s comments came just hours after President Trump issued a fresh warning during a trip to Iowa, claiming that a massive naval force, separate from the USS Abraham Lincoln strike group, is nearing Iranian waters. "There is another beautiful armada floating beautifully toward Iran right now," Trump told reporters. "I hope they make a deal. I know they want to talk, but we have a big armada next to them, bigger than the one we used for Venezuela."
The denial from Tehran directly contradicts recent statements by Steve Witkoff. In a CNBC interview last week, Witkoff claimed the U.S. *has* had contact with Iranian officials and suggested that this pressure led to the reported cancellation of mass executions of protesters.
However, the reality on the ground remains volatile:
Alongside the naval fleets, the U.S. has deployed advanced fighter jets to bases in Qatar and Jordan, creating a "noose" of aerial and maritime power.
Araghchi maintains that Iran is only willing to discuss its nuclear program if the U.S. drops its "excessive demands" and treats the regime with "mutual respect," a condition the Trump administration appears to have replaced with "maximum pressure."
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty reportedly held separate calls with both Araghchi and Witkoff today in a last-ditch effort to prevent the region from sliding into a full-scale war.