Iran’s Foreign Ministry said on Monday that it is not negotiating with the United States, contradicting President Donald Trump’s weekend claim that talks would begin the same afternoon to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Spokesman Esmail Baghaei told reporters in Tehran that Iran’s only discussions were with Oman. “We are not negotiating with the United States at this time,” he said.
What is actually being discussed?
Baghaei said the talks with Oman were aimed at agreeing a route allowing safe passage of shipping, describing the arrangement as necessary but not sufficient for reopening the waterway. He said mediators may pass messages from the American side, but that this did not amount to direct negotiation.
He stressed that the strait remains closed. While that remained the case, he said, “naturally no significant change will occur in the situation of the Strait of Hormuz”.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that the Oman talks were in their final stages, according to state news agency IRNA.
What did Trump say?
Trump said at the weekend that he had called off what he described as the largest planned American military operation since the Second World War, after Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates urged him to hold back. He said on social media that the deal under discussion would include the complete opening of the strait and an end to Iran’s nuclear threat.
He also indicated the talks would extend to what he called the denuclearisation of Iran. Tehran has not commented on that element.
Is Iran negotiating with the United States?
As of Monday 3 August 2026, Iran’s Foreign Ministry states that it is not conducting direct negotiations with the United States. Spokesman Esmail Baghaei told a press conference in Tehran that Iran’s discussions are exclusively with Oman, the country on the opposite side of the Strait of Hormuz, and are focused on establishing a temporary route to ensure safe navigation. This contradicts statements by US President Donald Trump, who said over the weekend that negotiations with Tehran would begin on Monday afternoon and that a deal would include the complete reopening of the strait and an end to Iran’s nuclear programme. Baghaei said mediators may relay messages from Washington but that this does not constitute direct talks, and confirmed the Strait of Hormuz remains closed. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the separate talks with Oman are in their final stages.
What else is happening in the region?
Iran’s defence minister said the country was neither surprised nor passive and remained on alert. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held a phone call with Trump in which he pressed for de-escalation.
A pause in strikes has held over several days. The United States and Israel first attacked Iran on 28 February, and Trump has announced halts on several occasions since, each time followed by a resumption of fighting.
How did Trump respond?
Trump rejected the denial. He wrote on social media that Iranian leadership was unbelievably duplicitous, and told reporters that discussions were taking place at that moment. He said the Strait of Hormuz would be open to marine traffic on Tuesday, describing that as the first phase of an agreement, with Iran’s nuclear programme forming the second.
He called it Iran’s last chance to reach a deal, while saying he was under no time constraint. US officials told CBS News no new negotiations were scheduled.
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Sources for this report
The Redline News Desk
The Redline News desk files and edits world reporting. Every story carries the sources it was built from, and corrections are published on the story itself.
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