TEHRAN, 18 August. - (ANA) - Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei has dismissed media reports of backchannel talks between the United States and Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) leadership, describing the reports as fabricated and part of psychological warfare aimed at creating division among the Islamic Republic's decision-making bodies.

 

Baqaei was speaking on Monday during his weekly press briefing in Tehran, responding to questions about US media reports that Washington had reached out to the IRGC leadership through officials in Iraq's Kurdistan Region in May, while Iranian negotiators were engaged in talks with American representatives to seek an end to the war the US and Israel launched against Iran in February.   - (ANA) -

 

AB/ANA/18 August 2026 - - -