India, Sept. 17 -- A former Iranian diplomat dismissed the claim within hours of its making.

Donald Trump told reporters Wednesday morning that Iran had contacted the United States "directly" and that Tehran "wants to make a deal." He offered no specifics about who made contact, at what level, through what channel, or when. Asked about whether the exchange had gone through intermediaries (the standard mechanism for US-Iran communication), Trump said simply that it was "direct," and moved on.

By afternoon, a former Iranian diplomat speaking to Al Jazeera offered a measured rebuttal: "I don't think there has been any additional effort beyond what was already under way in recent weeks." No senior Iranian official confirmed the exchange. T...