Iran’s security chief Mohsen Rezaei has dismissed as a lie reports of a possible plot to assassinate Barron Trump, the youngest son of US President Donald Trump.

Rezaei made the denial in an interview broadcast by Lebanon’s Al Manar TV on Thursday. The US Secret Service said on Tuesday that it was aware of a video aired by Iranian state television discussing a potential plot to assassinate Barron.

Meanwhile, tensions between Washington and Tehran are mounting over the Trump administration’s economic pressure campaign. Trump said on Thursday that the US was not currently talking to Iran as his administration focused on punishing Tehran economically.

“We don't want to speak to them. We're not looking to meet or anything”, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the economic campaign would continue until Iran was prepared to negotiate meaningfully. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has warned other countries to cut their financial ties with Tehran or face secondary sanctions.

Asked whether he would sanction Chinese banks for doing business with Iran, Trump suggested such measures could already be under consideration.

Qatar’s prime minister visited Tehran on Thursday in an effort to revive diplomacy amid the escalating economic confrontation.

(Reuters, est)