Iran Says It Received US Message Via Mediators As Trump Delays Strikes After 'Productive Talks'

Last Updated:March 24, 2026, 08:19 IST

Iran says it has received US proposals through mediators and is reviewing them, signalling ongoing indirect diplomacy despite continued hostilities.

Iran has received communication from the United States via intermediaries, according to a senior Iranian Foreign Ministry official quoted by CBS News, signalling a potential diplomatic opening amid continuing hostilities.

The official was quoted by the report as saying that Tehran had been sent key points by Washington through mediators and that the proposals were under review.

“We received points from the US through mediators, and they are being reviewed," the official said, indicating that indirect engagement between the two countries remains underway despite ongoing tensions and military threats.

The development follows remarks by US President Donald Trump suggesting that a deal with Iran could be possible, even as conflict continues to roil the region and disrupt global energy markets.

MULTIPLE COUNTRIES PUSH DE-ESCALATION EFFORTS

According to the Associated Press, international factors have stepped up diplomatic engagement in an effort to prevent further escalation, particularly targeting risks to energy infrastructure and shipping routes.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke by phone with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, with Turkey previously acting as an intermediary in talks between Tehran and Washington.

While the Turkish Foreign Ministry declined to confirm whether messages had been passed between the United States and Iran, Turkish officials said Fidan also held discussions with counterparts from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Egypt and the European Union, as well as with US officials, as part of efforts to end the conflict.

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi said Cairo had delivered “clear messages" to Iran focused on de-escalation, according to his office.

Egypt’s Foreign Ministry added that it has been engaged in “constant efforts and communications" with all parties involved.

An Egyptian official, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak publicly, was quoted as saying that messages had been exchanged between Washington and Tehran through Egypt, Turkey and Pakistan over the weekend, aimed at preventing attacks on energy infrastructure.

A Gulf diplomat also told the Associated Press that Egypt and Turkey were leading diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions, adding that mediation had, for now, helped avert what could have been an “energy catastrophe" if strikes on Iranian facilities had triggered retaliatory attacks.

TRUMP DELAYS STRIKE AFTER ‘VERY GOOD AND PRODUCTIVE’ TALKS

Trump on Monday said the United States and Iran had engaged in discussions showing signs of progress, prompting him to postpone planned strikes on Iran’s power plants and energy grid for five days.

Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that the two sides had held “very good and productive conversations regarding a complete and total resolution of our hostilities in the Middle East."

“Based on the tenor and tone" of the discussions, Trump said he had instructed the Department of War to delay any planned attacks on Iranian energy infrastructure for a five-day period, subject to the outcome of ongoing talks.

Speaking to reporters before departing Florida for Memphis, Trump said, “We have had very, very strong talks. We’ll see where they lead. We have major points of agreement, I would say, almost all points of agreement."

He added that Washington had been negotiating with Tehran “for a long time," saying, “I think it could very well end up being a good deal for everybody."

Trump also said his special envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner had held discussions with a senior Iranian official and would continue talks.

Sources cited by Reuters said the interlocutor was believed to be Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf.

IRAN DENIES DIRECT NEGOTIATIONS WITH WASHINGTON

Meanwhile, Qalibaf rejected claims of direct talks, dismissing the reports as “fake news" in a post on X and accusing the United States of attempting to influence financial and oil markets.

“No negotiations have been held with the US, and fake news is used to manipulate the financial and oil markets and escape the quagmire in which the US and Israel are trapped," Qalibaf wrote.

Iran’s semi-official Fars and Tasnim news agencies also portrayed Trump’s decision to delay strikes as a sign of Washington stepping back under pressure.

Tasnim reported that Iran’s position remained unchanged, stating that Tehran would continue its defensive actions until it achieves what it described as the required level of deterrence.

The report added that psychological pressure would not restore calm to energy markets or return the Strait of Hormuz to pre-war conditions.

MARKETS REACT AS DIPLOMATIC WINDOW EMERGES

Trump’s announcement of a pause in planned strikes eased pressure on global markets, with oil prices falling sharply to below $100 per barrel after earlier surges driven by fears of supply disruption.

Trump had earlier threatened action against Iran’s power infrastructure if Tehran did not reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic waterway through which roughly one-fifth of global oil supply passes.

Iran had partly closed the strait following US and Israeli strikes launched on February 28, prompting warnings from Tehran that further attacks could trigger retaliation against vital infrastructure across the Gulf, including energy facilities and desalination plants.

Reuters also reported that potential direct talks on ending the conflict could take place in Islamabad as early as this week, according to sources familiar with the matter.

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