Trump says US and Iran exchanged messages through mediators as Iranian delegation wraps up New York trip
In diplomacy, even an indirect exchange of signals can be the first step towards reducing tensions. When direct talks are impossible, mediators become a bridge carrying not only words but also the hope of de-escalation. Yet without concrete results, such contacts remain only a fragile hint of a possible dialogue.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that the United States and Iran had exchanged messages through mediators, according to a CBS report. Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump confirmed the communication, which CBS reported began on Monday morning, noting that information had been passed through mediators. However, he declined to reveal specific details about the content of the exchange. Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi was heading an Iranian delegation to New York to attend the 81st session of the UN General Assembly.
Iranian media had previously reported that the delegation would hold a meeting on Monday morning with mediators in New York to discuss the latest proposals. However, citing a source close to the delegation, Iran's official news agency IRNA said on Tuesday that Iran now has no plans to hold negotiations with the United States during the current visit to New York. Araghchi is expected to return to Iran later on Tuesday after completing his scheduled engagements.
The source said Iran's considerations and positions were conveyed to the U.S. side through the Qatari mediator last week, and that Iran is awaiting the U.S. response. On Sunday, Iran's Foreign Ministry quoted Araghchi as saying the country had not yet received "definitive" views from the U.S. through the mediators on its proposed seven-day plan to cease hostilities and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The foreign minister had earlier said that under Iran's plan, the country would reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days if the United States accepted its conditions.
The current crisis erupted in late February, when Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and other Iranian cities. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and U.S. bases and assets in the region, and tightened its grip on the Strait of Hormuz. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the U.S. and Iran on June 18 aimed at ending the war in the region on all fronts, including Lebanon. Under the MoU, the two sides were scheduled to hold negotiations to reach a final agreement within a 60-day period, which ended unresolved on August 17. The fate of potential talks remains unclear following a series of recent escalations between the two countries.
As reported by CCTV+, the exchange of messages through mediators indicates a fragile but remaining possibility of dialogue, yet the absence of concrete agreements and continued escalation leave the situation uncertain. Iran insists on its conditions, while the U.S. has not yet given a definitive response.
