By Kanishka Singh
WASHINGTON, March 16 (Reuters) - Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Monday that his last contact with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff was before the U.S. and Israel launched their war on Iran, contradicting an earlier media report that a direct communications channel between the two men was reactivated in recent days.
"My last contact with Mr. Witkoff was prior to his employer's decision to kill diplomacy with another illegal military attack on Iran," the Iranian foreign minister wrote on X.
"Any claim to the contrary appears geared solely to mislead oil traders and the public."
Axios reported that a direct communications channel between Witkoff and Araqchi was reactivated in recent days. The report cited a U.S. official and a source with knowledge of the matter, who said Araqchi had sent text messages to Witkoff.
The Drop Site News outlet had earlier reported that Witkoff sent messages to Araqchi. It quoted Iranian officials as saying Araqchi was ignoring Witkoff's messages.
The U.S. and Israel launched their war on Iran on February 28. The war has left scores dead in Iran and Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed.
Iran has responded with its own strikes on Israel and Gulf countries with U.S. bases. The war has raised oil prices and shaken markets globally.
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh and Costas Pitas;Editing by David Ljunggren and Michelle Nichols)
