Mixed Signals from Washington and Tehran Despite Trump's Talk of Returning to Negotiations

An Iranian source denied on Monday that any new talks were underway between Washington and Tehran, in an apparent contradiction of earlier statements by US President Donald Trump in which he predicted negotiations between the two sides would resume next week, according to a Sky News Arabia report.

The report did not reveal the identity of the Iranian source or the official capacity in which they were speaking, nor did it clarify whether the denial encompassed all diplomatic channels or was limited to a specific negotiating track.

These conflicting statements reflect an ongoing state of ambiguity surrounding the trajectory of US-Iran relations, against the backdrop of several contentious issues — most notably Iran's nuclear programme and the US sanctions imposed on Tehran.

No official comment has yet been issued by the US administration to clarify the basis on which Trump predicated his expectations regarding the resumption of talks next week.

This development comes as part of a long series of mixed messages from both the American and Iranian sides in recent months over the prospects of returning to the negotiating table.