Kazem Jalali, the Islamic Republic’s ambassador to Russia, said that at present no negotiations are being conducted between Tehran and Washington, and he called Donald Trump’s statements, the U.S. president, about the Islamic Republic’s willingness to negotiate “media games.”

Jalali said the Islamic Republic is “in favor of negotiation and dialogue,” but that the U.S. has, in two stages, “betrayed” negotiations and that there is “no sincerity” in the conduct of the current U.S. administration.

He added that by raising statements about the Islamic Republic’s willingness to negotiate, Trump is trying to keep the energy prices “proportionate” in the days leading up to the U.S. Congress elections.

Jalali also described the United States’ refusal to issue visas for a number of members of Massoud Pezeshkian’s delegation, including the media group, as an “unprecedented and hostile action” and as violating the United States’ international obligations as the host country of the United Nations headquarters.