Iran’s state media claims U.S. officials privately told Tehran to ignore Trump’s tweets because they’re just for show

Iran’s state-aligned Fars News Agency claims that American officials had privately contacted Tehran to tell them not to take Trump’s social media posts seriously. This came on the same day that President Donald Trump announced on social media that a deal with Iran had been “largely negotiated” and that the Strait of Hormuz would soon be reopened.

The announcement from Trump came after months of military conflict between the United States and Iran. The war began earlier in 2026 after Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway through which a large share of the world’s oil passes. The closure sent global oil prices soaring and raised fears of broader economic damage. By April, a fragile two-week ceasefire had been agreed upon, with Iran agreeing to reopen the strait in exchange for a pause in U.S. strikes.

Then, Trump posted on social media saying that a peace agreement had been “largely negotiated” and would be announced shortly. But Fars News pushed back hard. The agency said, “It should be noted that American officials have acknowledged in multiple messages to Iran that Trump’s tweets are primarily for promotional purposes and media consumption within the United States, and they have recommended that no attention be paid to these statements.” 

The evidence seems to back Iran up on this one

There is evidence to suggest the gap between Trump’s public posts and the actual state of negotiations was real. CNN reported that some Trump officials privately admitted to the outlet that the president’s public commentary had been hurting the talks. 

One person familiar with the negotiations told CNN, “The Iranians didn’t appreciate POTUS negotiating through social media and making it appear as if they had signed off on issues they hadn’t yet agreed to.” The same source added that Iran was especially worried about looking weak in front of its own people.

Trump’s posts on Iran throughout the conflict had been inconsistent and at times confusing. In one case, within just 13 minutes, he first asked Iran to remove mines from the strait, and then boasted that the U.S. had already destroyed 10 mine-laying boats. This pattern made it difficult for Iran and even U.S. allies to know what to believe. Throughout the conflict, Iran also found other ways to respond to Trump, including mocking him on social media with unusual imagery.

Despite Fars News rejecting Trump’s claims in public, Iranian officials were telling a different story in private. Three senior Iranian officials told The New York Times that Tehran had agreed to a memorandum of understanding that would stop the fighting and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. According to those officials, the deal would also release $25 billion in frozen Iranian assets.

Axios reported that under the proposed agreement, the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened with no tolls during a 60-day ceasefire, Iran would clear the mines it had placed in the waterway, and in return, the U.S. would lift its blockade on Iranian ports. Talks on Iran’s nuclear program were also expected to follow. Trump himself had said the peace deal with Iran was nearly finalized and that an official announcement was coming shortly.

The situation points to a clear split between what is being said publicly and what is happening behind the scenes. Iran’s government is pushing back on Trump’s framing in public while reportedly moving toward a deal in private. The Fars News statement, whether fully accurate or not, fits into a wider pattern where Iran has tried to use Trump’s chaotic social media behavior to its own advantage.