![Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei comments on current issues during a weekly press briefing in Tehran, Iran, on January 18, 2026. [Fatemeh Bahrami - Anadolu Agency]](https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/AA-20260118-40292044-40292043-IRANIAN_FOREIGN_MINISTRY_SPOKESPERSON_ADDRESSES_WEEKLY_PRESS_BRIEFING_IN_TEHRAN-1.jpg)
Iran on Monday denied receiving “any kind of ultimatum or deadline” in negotiations with the United States, as both sides acknowledged they are exchanging messages to ease tensions, Anadolu reports. Tehran has “always acted with honesty and seriousness” in diplomatic processes, but has “never accepted any kind of ultimatum or deadline,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said at his weekly press conference in Tehran. “Therefore, the claim that Iran has received any deadlines from the US cannot be confirmed.” US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he has given Iran a deadline to reach a deal, amid a rapid US military buildup in the Persian Gulf region. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump claimed that he had communicated […]
