Tensions between the United States and Iran continue to intensify as conflicting narratives emerge over the extent of military damage and the possibility of diplomatic engagement. Mohsen Farkhani, Assistant Professor at the University of Isfahan, on Friday questioned claims made by Donald Trump regarding Iran’s military capabilities.
Speaking to ANI, Farkhani cast doubt on assertions that Iran’s defence infrastructure has been significantly weakened, suggesting that recent developments contradict such claims.
“You know, also Trump has said yesterday that Iranian Air Force is in ruins. But I don’t know how is it possible that a ruined Air Force has last night hit another F-35 from the Lake and Heath squadron. You know, these are all the narratives that Trump is just trying to make as there is no obliteration of air defense or Navy of Iran in order to make an ambiguity as he is also offering ceasefire times and times,” he said.
Iran rejects US narrative on military damage
Farkhani argued that statements about the destruction of Iran’s naval and air defence capabilities are part of a broader attempt to shape perception rather than reflect ground realities. According to him, such claims are aimed at projecting strength while leaving room for a strategic exit from the conflict.
“But when he is talking about, things like we have obliterated the Navy. We have obliterated the air defense of Iran. He wants to create new narratives in order to make a kind of fake achievement for itself to jump out of the war. But Iran doesn’t let it. We make Americans’ narratives just undoable. You know, because they are not real. They are fake,” he said.
No scope for fresh negotiations, says academic
The Iranian academic also dismissed suggestions of ongoing backchannel talks, asserting that diplomatic engagement between Tehran and Washington has effectively stalled since the collapse of earlier nuclear negotiations.
“That’s totally wrong. I believe that Iranian officials didn’t have any kind of, you know, contacts with the American team, with Kushner, with Witkoff. All these contacts were for the time that we had negotiations on nuclear issue. But as the whole world has witnessed it, the Americans betrayed the negotiation table,” he said.
“And right now, not only the Iranian officials, but also Iranian people, we all find negotiation with America totally useless because this country, I mean, Americans are not actually committed to the negotiating table. Then we will not, I believe that we will not do any kind of negotiation with such officials with such politicians,” he added.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi also criticised Trump’s rhetoric, particularly remarks suggesting pushing Iran “back to the Stone Age.” In a post on X, he said, “There’s one striking difference between the present and the Stone Age: there was no oil or gas being pumped in the Middle East back then. Are POTUS and Americans who put him in office sure that they want to turn back the clock?”
The exchange underscores the widening gap between the two sides, with both political messaging and military claims contributing to rising uncertainty over the trajectory of the conflict.