US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that there were no ongoing or scheduled talks between Washington and Tehran, while claiming that the Strait of Hormuz was open and operational. Iran, however, maintained that the crucial shipping route would remain closed until the United States fulfilled the terms of an interim agreement.
“There are no talks or conversations going on, or scheduled, with the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. He added that the US naval blockade remained in place, while claiming that the Strait of Hormuz was open and that all underwater mines had either been removed or detonated.
Iranian parliamentary speaker and top negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf gave a conflicting account, saying the strait would remain closed until Washington met the conditions of an interim agreement reached with Tehran in June.
Among Iran’s demands are the lifting of the US blockade on Iranian ports, the removal of oil sanctions, the release of Iranian frozen assets and an end to US military threats and operations, Qalibaf said.
The latest statements appear to contradict comments made a day earlier by Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and special envoy, who said discussions between the two countries were still active. Kushner told Fox News that communication between Washington and different parts of the Iranian government was “probably more robust” than it had ever been.
Progress towards renewed peace negotiations and the resumption of oil tanker traffic through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz has since stalled, raising concerns that the conflict could continue for longer.
The dispute comes after the 60-day interim agreement expired without a final deal, with both Washington and Tehran blaming each other for the lack of progress. The Strait of Hormuz remains a major pressure point because of its importance to global energy shipments.
A senior Iranian official previously told Reuters that Iran could adopt a “fully offensive” military posture after efforts to negotiate a permanent end to the conflict with the US stalled.
When reporters asked Trump on Monday whether Washington was seeking to extend the June interim agreement, he said it was not.
