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US President Donald Trump has said that new negotiations with Iran will begin on Monday after he decided to cancel a planned large-scale military attack, according to reports from Al Jazeera and Dawn. Trump told reporters on Sunday that the talks would cover the Strait of Hormuz and ultimately the denuclearisation of Iran, but provided no details on the venue or participants. Iran has denied it is holding direct talks with the United States.

Coverage comparison

Al Jazeera and Dawn both report that Trump announced the cancellation of what he described as a planned attack that would have been "the biggest attack since World War II". The reports say Trump decided to halt the strikes after hearing from key Gulf allies Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, as well as unnamed Iranian officials. Al Jazeera also quotes Trump as saying that Iran and the Gulf allies had urged him to hold off on the strikes, while Iranian media denied that Tehran had asked Trump not to strike.

According to multiple Al Jazeera reports, Trump said the deal is imminent and that new talks were set to begin on Monday. Dawn also reports that Trump said the negotiations would begin on Monday. However, at a news conference on Monday, an Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman said: "We are not going to host a delegation or be guests of a country during these days."

Al Jazeera reports that Iran and Oman have agreed on coordinates for shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for global energy supplies that has become a central issue in the conflict. The outlet also quotes Trump as saying the US will continue to blockade Iran until a deal is reached, describing the blockade as a "Wall of Steel".

Dawn reports that oil prices fell after Trump announced the new negotiations, with West Texas Intermediate dropping 4.7 per cent to $80.72 per barrel at the opening of Asian trade on Monday.

Key claims

  • Trump believes the war on Iran is nearing an end, as reported by Al Jazeera.
  • Iran and Oman agreed on coordinates for shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, a claim carried by multiple Al Jazeera reports.
  • Trump cancelled a planned large-scale military attack on Iran, a claim reported by both Al Jazeera and Dawn.
  • Iran has denied it is holding direct talks with the US, as reported by Al Jazeera.
  • Oil prices fell after Trump announced the new negotiations, a claim carried by Dawn.
  • Trump demands "Total Surrender" amid escalating naval blockade, a claim reported by a single Al Jazeera article.
  • The US will continue to blockade Iran until a deal is reached, a claim carried by a single Al Jazeera article.