Talks between the US and Iran have been called off for the foreseeable future, Donald Trump said on Tuesday.
The US president wrote on his Truth Social platform that there were “no talks or conversations going on, or scheduled, with the Islamic Republic of Iran”.
Mr Trump made the claim a day after saying Washington had established a “backchannel” with the Iran‘s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
It leaves peace negotiations between Washington and Tehran at a standstill nearly six months into the war in the Middle East. Talks between Iran and Oman to try to reach an agreement over the Strait of Hormuz continue.
Mr Trump added that a US naval blockade in the strait “remains in full force and effect”, and claimed that the vital waterway was “open and operating”. His remarks appeared to contradict reports of Iranian strikes on two ships in recent days in the strait – key sticking points in negotiations.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump claimed that: ‘There are no talks or conversations going on … with the Islamic Republic of Iran’ – Truth Social
Both vessels were hit by unknown projectiles, UK maritime officials said on Tuesday, with the threat of strikes reducing the flow of traffic through the crucial chokehold. A crew member on one ship sailing close to Oman was killed early on Tuesday, the Joint Maritime Information Centre said.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) also accused Iran of firing two ballistic missiles at its territory on Tuesday – the first time in months the defence ministry had detected a barrage aimed at the country.
The UAE’s defence ministry said on X that “UAE air defences detected two ballistic missiles launched from Iran toward the country, with the first falling outside the country’s territorial waters”, adding that the second “fell within the territorial waters”.
Vessels in the Strait of Hormuz pictured from Musandam, Oman on August 17 – Reuters/ Stringer
The statement came nearly two hours after a phone alert warned UAE residents of a “potential missile threat”. The interior ministry said in the alert, which was lifted soon afterwards: “Due to the current situation, potential missile threats, immediately seek a safe place in the closest secure building.”
The Iranian strikes came a day after Mr Trump threatened to bomb Oman if the US ally “gets in the way” of negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
Muscat is discussing a potential deal with Tehran to reopen the strait to ease global economic pressures, as multiple flare-ups have shattered repeated ceasefire attempts. Extremely limited access to the channel has caused oil prices to skyrocket.
The price of Brent crude jumped to $91 a barrel on Tuesday – Getty
The price of Brent crude, the global benchmark, was around $66 a barrel before the Iran war began, but has surged past $100 on several occasions since the conflict started. Iran said on Monday that it had reached a tentative agreement with Oman for ships to travel through the strait.
Esmaeil Baghaei, a spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry, said “an understanding has been reached regarding the map of the transit route” and said both sides would finalise the details before issuing a joint statement.
Previous reports have suggested Tehran is seeking fees of 5 to 7 per cent of a vessel’s declared cargo value when passing through the strait. This fee was not in place before the war.
A 60-day memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran, signed on June 18, expired on Monday. Mr Trump said in a call with Fox News that he was in no hurry to bring the war to a close. He said: “They’re good poker players, but they’re dying. I have no time schedule. I’m not in a hurry.”
After Mr Trump claimed on Monday that the US had a backchannel with the IRGC, the military force denied this. A spokesman told the military-affiliated outlet Tasnim News: “There are no talks taking place between IRGC officials and the Americans, and this lie by Trump is merely fantasies caused by the delusions and nightmares he has suffered as a result of defeat and desperation in the war.”
