Iran Denies US Talks Despite Backchannel Messages, Pakistan–China Push Ceasefire Plan Amid Escalating War

Iran has again rejected claims of active negotiations with the United States even as it confirmed ongoing indirect communication, showing the widening contradictions in diplomatic messaging around efforts to end the month-long war. 

Image Via: MFA China

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Al Jazeera that Tehran has been “receiving direct messages” from U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff “as before,” but stressed these exchanges “do not constitute negotiations,” adding that such communications include “threats or exchanged views” routed through regional intermediaries and handled formally by Iran’s foreign ministry. 

He categorically denied any engagement on Washington’s reported proposals, stating “there is no truth to the claim of negotiations with any party in Iran” and that “we have not sent any response to the 15 American proposals, nor have we submitted any proposals or conditions.” 

Araghchi reiterated Tehran’s position that ending the conflict requires more than a ceasefire, saying Iran seeks “a complete end to the war, not just in Iran but in the entire region,” alongside guarantees against future attacks and compensation for war damage.

The denial comes even as parallel diplomatic efforts intensify elsewhere, with Pakistan and China jointly proposing a five-part peace initiative following talks between Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing. 

According to a statement from China’s foreign ministry, the engagement aimed to “strengthen” coordination and “make new efforts toward advocating for peace,” with both sides calling for an immediate ceasefire and protection of critical waterways, including the Strait of Hormuz. 

The proposal emphasized that dialogue and diplomacy remain “the only viable option,” though it yielded no direct participation from the principal combatants. Pakistan has positioned itself as a potential mediator, facilitating message exchanges between Washington and Tehran while hosting regional consultations involving Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt. 

However, the absence of both the United States and Iran from these talks has limited their immediate impact, even as U.S. President Donald Trump continues to assert that negotiations are progressing “extremely well,” a claim Tehran continues to reject.

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