TEHRAN, August 17. /TASS/. Spokesman for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC, the elite army units) Hossein Mohebi denied statements by US President Donald Trump about the existence of unofficial communication channels between the IRGC and the United States, according to Tasnim news agency.

"No negotiations are currently taking place between IRGC representatives and Americans. Trump is lying; it’s pure fantasy - driven by illusions and nightmares stemming from defeat in the war and despair," he said.

Earlier, Trump said that Washington maintains contact with the IRGC through unofficial channels.

Russian air defenses down 822 Ukrainian drones overnight

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, Ukrainian drones were intercepted over the Belgorod, Bryansk, Vladimir, Volgograd, Voronezh, Kaluga, Kursk, Lipetsk, Nizhny Novgorod, Oryol, Rostov, Ryazan, Tambov and Tula regions, the Moscow region, Krasnodar Krai and the Republic of Crimea, as well as over the Azov and Black Seas

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