Iran rejected President Donald Trump's claim on Monday that nuclear negotiations with the United States were set to begin, asserting that no talks are planned and no diplomatic contacts with Washington are currently underway.
The Iranian denial followed Trump's announcement that he had decided against authorizing military strikes on Iran and would instead pursue diplomacy. Speaking aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump said, "Would I rather make a deal? I'm not looking to kill people." He added, "Now what we're doing is talking to them, in the form of a negotiation. It begins tomorrow afternoon," Without specifying where or with whom the discussions would occur.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei countered that no negotiations exist with the United States and no meetings are scheduled. He stated that Iran has no plans to receive foreign delegations or send negotiators abroad in the coming days. Baghaei noted that Iran's negotiating officials remain in the country except for Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, currently on a religious pilgrimage in Iraq. He indicated that Iran's only active diplomatic discussions involve Oman and concern the Strait of Hormuz.
A senior Iranian official told Reuters that no U.S. Negotiations are planned, with Araqchi expected to remain unavailable until at least week's end.
This exchange reflects a recurring pattern since Trump launched "Operation Epic Fury" With Israel over five months ago, in which military threats have repeatedly been followed by diplomatic initiatives. Iran has consistently refused to resume talks since a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the conflict collapsed in early July.
The Trump administration has stated its objectives include dismantling Iran's nuclear program, weakening Tehran's regional military capability, and creating conditions for political change within the Islamic Republic. A persistent disagreement concerns the Strait of Hormuz, with the United States maintaining that the June memorandum required Iran to keep the waterway open, while Iranian officials argue the agreement preserved Tehran's maritime authority through the strait.
Oil markets responded positively to Trump's decision against military action, with Brent crude prices falling more than 4% to roughly $84 per barrel on Monday. The British maritime security agency UKMTO reported that a vessel's captain observed an explosion in the water near the ship in the strait overnight, with no injuries reported.