Trump says Iran talks start Monday; Tehran denies

President Donald Trump declared that new talks aimed at de-escalating tensions with Iran would commence Monday afternoon, a statement swiftly refuted by Tehran. Trump had previously revealed he opted against significant military strikes on Iran following diplomatic efforts from Gulf allies Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

He explained that a plan for a major U.S. military operation, described as the largest since World War II, was shelved to allow more time for diplomacy. This decision came after consultations with key regional leaders and, according to Trump, at the request of unidentified Iranian officials. "Now what we are doing is talking to them in the form of negotiation. It starts tomorrow afternoon," Trump stated, without providing further details on participants or the scope of the talks.

However, Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs asserted that its sole ongoing negotiations were with Oman, focused on securing passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baqai clarified that these were not direct talks with the U.S. The strategic waterway has become a focal point of the conflict, with Iran having previously targeted merchant vessels and now insisting on controlling and charging tolls for passage, a stance opposed by the U.S.

Baqai indicated that an agreement with Oman was imminent, concerning a new transit route through the strait. He emphasized that this deal would not involve reopening the strait itself, which historically handled a fifth of the world's oil. This announcement follows a pattern where Trump has declared impending agreements, only for hostilities to resume. A prior ceasefire that included reopening the Strait of Hormuz ultimately failed, with Iran subsequently increasing its control over the maritime route.

“

Now what we are doing is talking to them in the form of negotiation. It starts tomorrow afternoon.