Trump Says Iran Talks Begin Monday, Tehran Denies Any Meetings

President Donald Trump said Sunday that he had called off planned strikes on Iran after regional allies and Tehran itself urged him to stand down in favor of a deal. He described the aborted attack as the largest since World War II and insisted negotiations would begin the next afternoon. Iranian officials immediately rejected the account, stating no talks with Washington were scheduled or under way.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said the outlines of an agreement had already been reached. He pointed to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and steps toward ending Iran's nuclear program. "The deal is imminent," he said, adding that Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, along with leaders in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, had pressed him to pause military action. Trump claimed Iran had also asked "very strongly" for time to finalize terms.

Iran's foreign ministry pushed back on Monday. Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei told state media that Tehran was not hosting any delegation and had no plans to send one abroad. The only discussions under way, he said, involved Oman over shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz that would respect both countries' interests. Baghaei made clear there were no bilateral negotiations with the United States and none planned.

Trump has made similar announcements before. He has repeatedly declared that a negotiated end to the conflict was near, only for exchanges of strikes to resume days later. The latest reversal came after days of public threats of major military action. Saudi state media reported that the crown prince had personally asked Trump to hold off, a request the president said influenced his decision.

The conflicting statements leave the status of any talks unclear. Trump did not name participants, a location or a timeline for the supposed negotiations. He declined to set a deadline when asked, saying only that he preferred a deal to further loss of life. Iranian officials have continued to frame their outreach as limited to Oman and focused on maritime security rather than the broader issues Trump raised.

Regional powers have watched the back-and-forth with concern. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has already disrupted global oil supplies, and renewed fighting risks drawing in additional actors. Trump has offered no details on enforcement mechanisms or verification steps for the nuclear elements he mentioned. Iranian statements have avoided any reference to such concessions.

The episode follows a pattern in which public claims of progress alternate with renewed threats. Iranian analysts and officials have expressed skepticism that Washington is prepared to accept the terms Tehran would require. No independent confirmation has emerged that direct or mediated talks are scheduled to start on the timeline Trump described.