Iran denies negotiating with U.S. after Trump announces talks

Lead

Iran said on Monday that no negotiations with the United States are currently taking place, directly contradicting US President Donald Trump’s announcement that a fresh round of talks would begin. The Iranian Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson, Esmaeil Baqaei, said in a televised press conference that Iran is instead in discussions with Oman over a temporary safe route through the Strait of Hormuz.

The denial came after Trump told reporters on Sunday that new negotiations with Iran would begin on Monday, following his decision to hold off on striking the country in pursuit of a deal to end the war, now in its sixth month. Trump said the talks would cover the Strait of Hormuz and, ultimately, the denuclearisation of Iran.

Coverage Comparison

Trump’s announcement and Iran’s rebuttal were reported across multiple outlets, with the framing varying slightly. Dawn reported that Iran said no negotiations were currently being held, despite Trump’s claim that the two sides were set to begin parleys later on Monday. Deutsche Welle noted that Trump said new talks were set to begin, while Iranian authorities later dismissed the statement, saying they are only in talks with Oman. The Jerusalem Post, citing The Wall Street Journal, reported that there are no ongoing talks between Iran and the US and no upcoming meetings planned, quoting Baqaei as saying all of Iran’s negotiators were still in the country, except for Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who was visiting a religious site in Iraq. The Hindu — World also reported Iran’s denial, stating that the rebuttal followed Trump’s claim that he had held off launching new strikes to allow for further diplomatic efforts.

Key Claims

• Trump announced new talks with Iran, saying they would begin on Monday. He told reporters that the talks would cover the Strait of Hormuz and ultimately the denuclearisation of Iran, without providing details of the venue or participants.
• Trump said he held off on new strikes against Iran after appeals from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. He claimed that Iran had also asked him not to strike, but Iranian media denied that Tehran had made such a request.
• Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baqaei, said Iran is not currently holding talks with the US and is instead in discussions with Oman over a temporary safe route through the Strait of Hormuz.
• Mediators in the discussions told The Wall Street Journal that the current proposal involves creating a temporary new route through the strait for commercial shipping, with Persian vessels entering through Iranian waters and exiting via Omani waters without paying fees. The mediators said they were still waiting for a response from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), but that Iran had responded favorably, later demanding that sanctions on its oil be removed and that it receive a guarantee that it would not be attacked.
• Oil prices fell sharply in early Asian trading after Trump announced the new talks. West Texas Intermediate dropped 4.7% to $80.72 per barrel, while Brent crude for September delivery dropped more than 6% to $82.41 a barrel.
• Two tankers carrying Saudi crude successfully crossed the Bab el-Mandeb Strait over the weekend, despite security concerns and a Houthi-declared maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia.
• Iran and the United States agreed in mid-June on a framework deal to end the war, according to reports from Deutsche Welle and The Hindu — World.
• The US and Iran have been at war since February 28, when the US and Israel launched surprise strikes against Iran, though months of on-off diplomacy have led to periods of relative calm, as reported by The Hindu — World.

Perspectives

Iranian Foreign Ministry: Iran is not currently negotiating with the United States. Its negotiations are with Oman to secure passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei stated that Iran is discussing a temporary safe route with Oman, and that a deal is close on managing the strait together.

US President Donald Trump: New talks with Iran are set to begin on Monday, aimed at ending the war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Trump said he held off on strikes after appeals from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, and claimed Iran had also asked him not to strike, a claim Iranian media denied.