Former Iranian FM denies report of secret talks with exiled crown prince

Zarif’s office rejected the report, calling it “false allegations serving the low and pathetic political interests of a certain group.”

By World Israel News Staff

Iran’s former foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, issued a sharp denial Tuesday after Israel’s Channel 14 reported that he had secretly held multiple meetings with exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi during Iran’s recent protests.

According to the report, Zarif later briefed former Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on the alleged meetings. It also claimed the contacts triggered a security response, with reports in Iran alleging that both Zarif and Rouhani were detained and placed under house arrest.

In a response also published by Channel 14, Zarif’s office rejected the report outright, calling it “false allegations serving the low and pathetic political interests of a certain group.”

The statement said the claims were manufactured through political coordination and foreign influence, describing them as “an absurd, ridiculous, and completely baseless claim.”

It added that the story was so implausible that “at first we did not even see a need to respond or deny,” but said the details broadcast by Channel 14 prompted the office to issue an official rebuttal.

Zarif’s office also accused internal Iranian factions of aligning with foreign actors, claiming the narrative was being exploited to advance propaganda.

“The Iranian people clearly saw how certain individuals acted over the years as part of the schemes of the Israeli regime,” the statement said, arguing that similar claims have been used repeatedly to mislead the public.

The statement ended with a warning, saying, “This shared language may be a warning light for the end of the immunity enjoyed by those who for years, through lies, plots, and slander, and under the guise of revolutionary zeal, harmed beloved Iran.”

Iran protestsMohammad Javad ZarifReza Pahlavi