The denial came after Trump said on Sunday that negotiations with Iran would resume on Monday as part of efforts to end the war, adding that he had postponed new military strikes to give diplomacy another chance
Iran on Monday dismissed US President Donald Trump’s claim that fresh negotiations between Washington and Tehran were set to begin, insisting there were currently no direct talks with the US despite the conflict entering its sixth month.
The denial came after Trump said on Sunday that negotiations with Iran would resume on Monday as part of efforts to end the war, adding that he had postponed new military strikes to give diplomacy another chance.
The US and Iran have remained at war since February 28, when Washington and Israel launched surprise attacks on Iranian targets. While intermittent diplomatic efforts have occasionally eased tensions, fighting has continued.
Last week, Trump warned that the US could strike Iran “very hard”, reportedly weighing attacks on the country’s energy infrastructure. However, he later softened his stance, saying on Saturday that the “perimeters” of a possible agreement had already been established.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry rejected suggestions that direct negotiations with Washington were underway.
“We are not currently negotiating with the United States. Our negotiations are with Oman to secure passage through the Strait of Hormuz,” CNN quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei as saying during a weekly press briefing.
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Baqaei described the talks with Oman as “constructive”, saying they were aimed at reaching an agreement on a new route.
“We hope that both regional and extra-regional actors will appreciate this responsible move by Iran and adopt a constructive approach,” he added.
Hormuz remains central issue
The Strait of Hormuz continues to be the main point of contention between the two sides.
Since the outbreak of the conflict, Iran has tightened its control over the strategic waterway, insisting that vessels obtain Iranian permission, follow a designated shipping lane close to its coastline and pay service fees. The United States has opposed those measures.
Before the conflict, commercial vessels enjoyed unrestricted passage through the strait, one of the world’s most important energy transit routes.
Speaking to Iranian state television on Sunday, Baqaei said Tehran and Oman were close to reaching an agreement on managing shipping through the waterway.
“We are now going to reach an understanding on a route acceptable to both sides — neither the northern route nor the southern route – but one that respects the sovereign rights of both sides and safeguards our national interests and security,” he said.
He stressed, however, that any agreement with Oman would not amount to reopening the strait under previous arrangements.
Trump says talks to begin
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump said the upcoming discussions with Iran would focus on the Strait of Hormuz and the broader issue of Iran’s nuclear programme.
“Now what we’re doing is we’re talking to them in the form of a negotiation. It begins tomorrow afternoon,” AFP quoted Trump as saying, without revealing where the talks would take place or who would participate.
Trump also claimed that Iran, along with US allies Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, had urged him not to launch another round of attacks, which he described as potentially “the biggest attack since World War II.”
Iranian media denied that Tehran had made any such request.
The US president has repeatedly expressed optimism about a diplomatic breakthrough during the conflict, although previous announcements of progress have been followed by renewed hostilities.
Efforts to revive diplomacy
A ceasefire agreement reached last month ultimately collapsed. The deal had been expected to pave the way for reopening the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping carrying Gulf energy exports.
Iranian lawmaker Hassan Ghashghavi, spokesman for parliament’s national security commission, said mediators were attempting to revive the US-Iran memorandum of understanding agreed in June.
Although the memorandum was never intended to serve as a final peace agreement, it was designed as a framework for broader negotiations and included provisions related to the Strait of Hormuz.
“They know that the main issue and, in fact, the key to the matter right now is the issue of the Strait of Hormuz, so yes, there is an exchange of views,” Ghashghavi told AFP.
Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called for adherence to existing commitments.
“We must strive to compel the enemy to remain committed to what it has signed,” he said in a post on X.
(With inputs from agencies)