Rumors emerged yesterday that U.S. Vice President JD Vance might be meeting soon in Doha with Mohsen Rezaei, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, rumors which were quickly quashed by the Iranians. A senior Iranian security official speaking to PressTV ruled out any plans for negotiations with the United States, saying Tehran’s position on talks will remain unchanged until Washington takes practical steps to meet Iran’s seven conditions. Iran’s policy and plans regarding negotiations, the official stressed, have not changed, either.

Rezaei, in what was almost certainly a response to the rumor, took a shot at the Trump administration for manufacturing fake news. “The war on Iran has already wrecked the US government,” he said on X. “But Washington flails like a desperate gambler. FOLD YOUR HAND. STOP manufacturing FAKE NEWS about imaginary talks. Stop denying the West Asian NEW ORDER. Time to SURRENDER to the seven conditions Iran has repeatedly set out.”

The claim of a possible meeting apparently originated with Middle East Eye which reported on Monday that Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin had said Qatar would host Vance and Rezaei for talks next week.