Trump Claims Iran Talks Underway, Tehran Denies Direct Contact

President Donald Trump on Monday described ongoing diplomatic contacts with Iran as the final opportunity for Tehran to accept terms on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, even as Iranian officials rejected any direct negotiations with Washington and said they were discussing a temporary shipping arrangement solely with Oman.

Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that Iran had requested the latest round of talks and warned that the window would close quickly. He described the situation as straightforward, centered on restoring traffic through the waterway that carries roughly one-fifth of global oil shipments in normal times. In a Truth Social post earlier that day he labeled Iranian leaders unbelievably duplicitous for publicly denying the contacts while engaging in them.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei countered that no negotiations with the United States were taking place. Tehran instead confirmed talks with Oman aimed at establishing a short-term route through Iranian territorial waters for vessels entering the strait and a path near Omani waters for those exiting. Iranian negotiator Saeed Ajorlu told state broadcaster IRIB that the arrangement would last one to three months and that Iran intended to retain dominant control rather than return to the pre-conflict status quo.

Qatari officials confirmed they were working with Pakistan and Oman to exchange drafts between the two sides, lending some credence to reports of indirect channels. Oil prices rose more than 2 percent on Tuesday after another cargo vessel was struck near the Omani coast, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center. Brent crude later eased as the mediation reports circulated.

The latest exchange fits a pattern that has repeated throughout the five-month conflict. Trump has issued multiple deadlines and apocalyptic warnings, only to step back at the final hour and announce pauses or new talks. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that his country would continue to defend its borders without seeking wider escalation.

The proposed service fee arrangement reported by Iranian and U.S. officials would require ships to follow designated paths and pay both Tehran and Muscat for security and environmental costs. Washington has not confirmed whether such fees form part of any U.S.-backed proposal. Traffic through the strait remains far below peacetime levels, keeping energy markets volatile.

Both sides continue to trade accusations of bad faith while mediators shuttle messages. The immediate future of the waterway now rests on whether the narrow diplomatic track can produce an agreement before the next incident or deadline resets the clock once more.