Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi on Monday denied that he had resumed recent contact with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, saying his final exchange with the envoy took place before what he described as an attack that ended diplomatic engagement.
In a post on X, Araqchi wrote that "My last contact with Mr. Witkoff was prior to his employer’s decision to kill diplomacy with another illegal military attack on Iran." He added: "Any claim to the contrary appears geared solely to mislead oil traders and the public."
"My last contact with Mr. Witkoff was prior to his employer’s decision to kill diplomacy with another illegal military attack on Iran,"
Those comments directly challenged reporting by multiple outlets that suggested a direct communications channel between the two men had been reactivated in recent days. Axios reported that such a channel had been reopened, citing a U.S. official and another source who said Araqchi had sent text messages to Witkoff.
Earlier, the Drop Site News outlet reported that Witkoff had sent messages to Araqchi and quoted Iranian officials who said Araqchi was ignoring those messages. The accounts differ on who initiated contact and whether any exchange has taken place.
The dispute over these communications comes in the context of a wider and intensifying conflict. The U.S. and Israel launched their war on Iran on February 28. The war has left scores dead within Iran and, according to statements in the current reporting, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed.
Iran has carried out strikes of its own on Israel and on Gulf countries that host U.S. bases. The fighting and associated developments have contributed to higher oil prices and have unsettled global markets.
The differing media accounts and Araqchi’s public denial underscore uncertainty about whether any direct, functioning channel between the Iranian foreign ministry and U.S. envoys exists at present. Araqchi framed claims of recent contact as misleading to both oil traders and the general public.
Given the ongoing conflict and its market effects, the question of diplomatic communications remains salient for energy and financial markets, which have already reacted to the escalation.