US President Donald Trump speaks during a Working Breakfast with Governors at the White House in Washington, DC on February 20, 2026. (Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP)Iranian media said on Monday there were no negotiations between Tehran and Washington after US President Donald Trump announced talks towards ending the war. The rebuttal follows a social media post that immediately sent oil prices tumbling. Trump said Washington and Tehran had held “productive conversations” over the last two days towards “a complete and total resolution” of hostilities in the Middle East. In response, Iran had threatened to deploy naval mines in the Gulf and target power plants across the region—ramping up its rhetoric after warnings the world faced an energy crisis of historic proportions if the US-Israeli war with Iran drags on.

Source: Punch March 23, 2026 15:12 UTC