Iran demands US stop 'fake news' and accept seven conditions for peace

For crude markets, the comments from Rezaei undercut a de-escalation reading of Trump's post. Washington wants the blockade to remain as the status quo, while Tehran insists on its removal before anything else, leaving no clear path to normal Hormuz traffic. A reduced risk of fresh strikes may trim the war premium slightly, but the supply crunch is likely to continue. Any dips in crude on peace headlines could prove short-lived. Iran's pattern of denying reported talks also means traders should treat optimistic diplomatic headlines with caution until both sides confirm them.

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Trump sees momentum toward peace while Tehran sees no talks happening, and the blockade both sides keep citing is what separates them.

Summary:

• Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei told the US to stop publishing false reports about what he called imaginary negotiations
• He said it was time for Washington to accept the seven conditions Iran has repeatedly set out, and that the war had done serious damage to the US government
• Iran conveyed the conditions through Qatar in September; the three named publicly are an end to the war on all fronts, release of frozen funds and an end to the naval blockade
• Tehran says it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz to normal traffic until the conditions are met
• The remarks contrast with Trump's view of “positive momentum” and his comment that Gulf states prefer to keep the blockade in place

The top security official in Iran called on Washington to stop circulating what he described as false reports about non-existent negotiations. He stated that the moment had arrived for the United States to accept the seven conditions Tehran has repeatedly laid down for ending the conflict.

Mohsen Rezaei, who serves as secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, added that the war has inflicted significant harm on the US government. His Monday statement stands in stark contrast to the message from US President Donald Trump. After speaking with Qatar's prime minister, Trump said he detects positive momentum toward resolving the conflict and that renewed US military strikes seem improbable. He also noted that Gulf states would prefer to maintain the existing US naval blockade of Iran, along with a fresh push to cut off Tehran's land routes.

Tehran initially communicated its seven conditions to Washington via Qatari mediators back in September. Rezaei has not disclosed the full list, but he has identified three core demands: a halt to the war across all fronts, the freeing of frozen Iranian assets, and the lifting of the US naval blockade. Iran has further stated that it will not allow normal traffic through the Strait of Hormuz to resume until those conditions are satisfied, and that this point is non-negotiable.

Denials of talks have been a consistent element throughout the conflict. Iranian officials have frequently pushed back against US and media reports about negotiations, sometimes accusing Washington of using such reports to influence oil and financial markets. Still, Iran has acknowledged that messages continue to pass via intermediaries such as Qatar and Pakistan.

For oil markets, the remarks serve as a reminder that the two sides are still far apart. Trump's depiction of a status quo centered on the blockade directly contradicts Iran's demand for its prior removal. This leaves little indication of a near-term solution for restoring normal flows through Hormuz, even if the threat of renewed large-scale strikes has diminished. Any increase in risk appetite driven by de-escalation hopes could prove short-lived while the standoff persists.