Tuesday, August 4, 2026 -The Islamic Republic of Iran has denied that any direct talks with Washington are planned after US President Donald Trump said negotiations would begin on Monday following his decision to call off planned military strikes.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said
there were no plans to receive a US delegation or send Iranian officials to
Washington. He also rejected suggestions that any change had occurred in the
status of maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
The denial came hours after Trump told reporters aboard Air
Force One that Washington had paused military action in favour of diplomacy.
"We're
talking to them in the form of a negotiation. It begins tomorrow
afternoon," Trump said.
Earlier on Sunday, Trump wrote on Truth Social that Iran and
US allies in the Gulf had urged him to "hold off" on planned strikes
because the broad parameters of an agreement had already been reached.
Although Tehran dismissed Trump's claim of imminent US-Iran
talks, it confirmed that technical negotiations with Oman over the Strait of
Hormuz were continuing.
Baghaei said Iranian and Omani deputy foreign ministers held
several rounds of discussions in Tehran on Friday and Saturday on mechanisms to
ensure the safe passage of commercial shipping through the strategic waterway
while respecting the sovereignty of the two littoral states.
He described the discussions as constructive and said
technical and political consultations would continue. Iranian Foreign Minister
Abbas Araghchi later said negotiations with Oman on a Hormuz agreement were
"on track for finalisation", according to Iran’s Ministry of Foreign
Affairs.
Trump said Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, along
with leaders from the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, had urged him not to
proceed with the planned strikes, arguing that diplomacy had a realistic chance
of success.
The US president said the proposed operation would have been the largest American military action since World War II and could have jeopardised efforts to end the months-long conflict.
The conflicting statements from Washington and Tehran underscore the uncertainty surrounding diplomatic efforts, with both sides continuing to send mixed signals even as regional mediation over the Strait of Hormuz gathers pace.
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