Iran’s Parliament Speaker Denies US Talks, Accuses Washington of Manipulating Oil and Crypto Markets With Fake News
Escalating conflict between the United States and Iran has raised the risk premium on crude oil and pressured risk assets including Bitcoin. On March 23, 2026, US President Donald Trump claimed there had been “constructive progress” in talks with Iran and paused attacks on energy facilities for five days. Bitcoin briefly rose above $71,000 on the news, underscoring how the two sides’ conflicting accounts are shaping the pricing of energy, inflation, and financial assets.
The same day, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf wrote on X that no negotiations with the United States were taking place. He accused Washington of using fake news to manipulate financial and oil markets and help the United States and Israel escape their predicament. He also said the Iranian people demanded that the “aggressors” be fully punished. Reports published on March 24 added fresh uncertainty to Bitcoin and crude-oil prices that had previously been lifted by the talk of negotiations.
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The history behind this eventTrump Revives US-Iran Talks, Rules Out Nuclear Weapons as Geopolitical Risks Swing Bitcoin
The United States and Iran have long been at odds over Tehran’s nuclear program, economic sanctions and security in the Middle East. Any escalation could also affect energy supplies and global risk assets. US President Donald Trump has revived negotiations while insisting that Iran cannot possess nuclear weapons, making diplomatic developments an important source of volatility for bitcoin and crypto-related stocks.
Trump recently said Iran had called him and was “desperate to make a deal,” as the two countries advanced a new round of negotiations. He reiterated that he would not accept Iran retaining nuclear weapons. Prediction market Polymarket showed traders raising the probability of a peace agreement by April 30 to 65%. Bitcoin briefly fell below $104,000 before crypto-related stocks broadly advanced.
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