Iran rejects Trump claim that officials asked to 'stop bombing'

Iran's government on Thursday dismissed as 'false' President Donald Trump's claim that Tehran's officials had privately asked Washington to halt its bombing campaign, accusing the US leader of fabricating the story to obscure American military setbacks in the escalating conflict.

Trump claims direct contact

Speaking to Fox News late Wednesday, Trump said he had received direct communications from Iranian officials pleading with him to 'stop bombing' their country. The US president suggested that attacks launched in recent hours could draw to a close within days, though he emphasized that he retained the sovereign right to order additional strikes if circumstances warranted further military action.

Tehran rejects assertion

Iranian state media on Thursday quoted a senior official describing Trump's account as 'false,' stating the claims were designed to provide cover for Washington's retreat from confrontation with Tehran. The official characterized the remarks as an attempt to mask American military setbacks rather than an accurate reflection of diplomatic exchanges between the two capitals, dismissing any suggestion of back-channel pleas for mercy.

Regional tensions mount

The contradictory statements emerged amid a sharp escalation in hostilities, with American forces conducting strikes on southern Iran and Iranian units targeting US bases across the region. The exchanges mark the most serious confrontation between Washington and Tehran in years, with military installations on both sides coming under sustained fire since hostilities entered this latest phase of open warfare.