Iran Strongly Denies Secret Peace Talks Rumors, Accuses The New York Times of Waging "Psychological Warfare"

Odaily News Iran has denied reports that its intelligence ministry contacted the United States to discuss ending the war in the Middle East. The New York Times previously reported that Iranian agents indirectly contacted the CIA on Sunday to discuss terms for ending the conflict. According to the semi-official Tasnim news agency, a source from Iran's intelligence ministry called the report "pure lies and psychological warfare." This denial briefly pushed oil prices higher, but they quickly retreated as traders shifted their focus to the U.S. Navy's plan to escort oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz. Traffic through this critical chokepoint has plummeted since the U.S.-Israel attack on Iran sparked the war on Saturday. Publicly, both Iran and the U.S. have vowed to continue fighting, increasing the likelihood of a prolonged war in the Middle East. So far, the conflict has resulted in over 1,000 deaths (primarily within Iran). (Jin10)