The Empty Gesture of War Rhetoric US President Donald Trump's denial of holding talks with Iran comes as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi paints Washington as "begging" to negotiate on Iranian terms.
This public posturing has been a hallmark of the conflict since it began, and one can't help but wonder what this latest exchange actually accomplishes.
The fact that both sides continue to talk about negotiations while maintaining their respective positions suggests that they're stuck in a cycle of rhetorical escalation with little progress being made.