Iran denies US talks after Trump says they begin Monday

Iran's foreign ministry denied Monday that negotiations with the United States were under way, after US President Donald Trump said new talks with Tehran would begin later in the day.

“We are not currently negotiating with the United States. Our negotiations are with Oman to secure passage through the Strait of Hormuz,” foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said at a weekly press briefing.

Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday that talks with Iran would cover Hormuz and, ultimately, Iran's denuclearisation. He said the negotiations would begin Monday afternoon, but gave no details of the venue or participants.

Washington and Tehran have been at war since February 28, when the United States and Israel launched surprise strikes against Iran. Trump last week threatened to hit Iran “very hard”, but said Saturday that the “perimeters” of a deal were there.

Trump also said he had been asked by Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar to hold off on further strikes. Iranian media denied that Tehran had asked him not to strike.

Hormuz remains a major issue in efforts to end the war. Iran has obstructed vessels trying to pass through the trade corridor and has fired on commercial ships. Tehran now insists on retaining control and charging fees, while the United States rejects that position.

Baqaei told Iranian state television on Sunday that Tehran was close to an understanding with Oman on a route acceptable to both sides of the waterway, but said such an agreement would not mean reopening the strait.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre said a tanker off Oman reported hearing an explosion nearby on Sunday, but said the ship and crew were safe.

Iranian lawmaker Hassan Ghashghavi, spokesman for parliament's national security commission, said mediators were trying to revive a June US-Iran memorandum of understanding that included provisions on Hormuz. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian wrote on X that Iran must try to compel the enemy to remain committed to what it had signed.