Iran firmly denies rumors of secret negotiations and accuses The New York Times of engaging in "psychological warfare"

Odaily reported that Iran has denied reports claiming its intelligence ministry has contacted the United States to discuss ending the war in the Middle East. The New York Times previously reported that Iranian agents had indirectly contacted the CIA on Sunday to discuss terms for ending the conflict. According to the semi-official Tasnim News Agency, sources from Iran's intelligence ministry called the report "pure lies and psychological warfare." Following this denial, oil prices briefly surged but quickly retreated as traders shifted their focus to the U.S. Navy's plan to escort oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz. Since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Saturday, triggering the war, traffic through this critical chokepoint has sharply decreased. Publicly, both Iran and the U.S. have vowed to continue fighting, increasing the likelihood of a prolonged conflict in the Middle East. So far, the clashes have resulted in over 1,000 deaths (mainly within Iran). (Golden Ten Data)