August 18, 2026 | 06:27 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Monday, August 17, denied claims by US President Donald Trump that there are backchannel talks between Washington and the IRGC, according to Antara, quoting Xinhua.
In an interview with Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency, IRGC spokesperson Hossein Mohebbi called Trump's claims "delusions," stating that no dialogue is currently taking place between IRGC officials and the Americans.
“No talks are taking place between IRGC officials and the Americans,” the spokesperson said, adding that the claims were lies and “fantasies born of delusions and nightmares resulting from defeat and desperation in the war.”
In fact, Iran's diplomatic side is not currently negotiating with the US due to Washington's "breach of promises," Mohebbi said.
“Trump’s fantasies will not help him on the battlefield,” he added.
Separately, in a press conference on Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei denied media reports of unofficial contacts between Washington and the IRGC via Iraqi Kurdistan officials, as well as an alleged secret US-Iran meeting in Erbil.
These reports are "media techniques and psychological operations used to sow discord among Iran's decision-making bodies," Baghaei said.
US broadcaster Fox News previously reported that Trump confirmed the existence of a back-channel for peace talks between Washington and the IRGC.
“We are speaking directly with IRGC officials in Iran,” he said.
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