President Donald Trump announced from the White House that Washington and Tehran have entered into fresh negotiations, despite earlier denials from the Iranian Foreign Ministry regarding the existence of such talks. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, the President characterized the current diplomatic window as a final opportunity for Iran to sign a good document before facing what he described as a potential decapitation.
The President claimed these discussions are occurring at the request of Iran, with the support of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar. According to Trump, the immediate priority is the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, which he insisted should be open by tomorrow. He described this as the first phase of the process, with the second phase focusing on Iran's nuclear capabilities. The President stated explicitly that the denuclearization of Iran must be achieved.
The Strait of Hormuz has served as a central point of contention for months. After US and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February, Tehran effectively closed the passage, which manages approximately 25% of global seaborne oil trade, leading to significant volatility in energy markets. Although a memorandum of understanding was signed in June to resolve the conflict and reopen the waterway, retaliatory strikes resumed shortly thereafter.
In response to the President's statements, the Iranian military dismissed claims that Tehran had asked the US to halt attacks, labeling the assertion a new lie intended to blackmail Persian Gulf leaders. Additionally, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei stated on Monday that no negotiations were taking place with the United States, though he confirmed that separate talks with Oman were ongoing regarding the safe passage of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.
