Trump says Iran talks to begin Monday but Tehran says no direct negotiations
Trump decided to hold back what he described as "the biggest attack since World War II" following appeals from key Gulf allies, the Associated Press reported.
Speaking to reporters, Trump said Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates urged him to give diplomacy another chance, while unnamed Iranian officials had also requested negotiations. (AP Photo
US President Donald Trump said negotiations aimed at ending the conflict with Iran would begin on Monday, after he decided to hold back what he described as “the biggest attack since World War II” following appeals from key Gulf allies, the Associated Press reported.
Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates urged him to give diplomacy another chance, while unnamed Iranian officials had also requested negotiations, Trump said on Sunday. “Now what we’re doing is we’re talking to them in the form of a negotiation. It begins tomorrow afternoon,” he said, without disclosing who would participate in the talks, as per the report.
Iran says no direct talks
However, Iran denied that direct discussions with Washington were underway. According to Iran’s Foreign Ministry, Tehran was not currently negotiating with the United States. Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said ongoing discussions were instead being held with Oman and were limited to establishing a temporary safe navigation route through the Strait of Hormuz, according to AP.
The Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s traded oil and natural gas normally passes, has remained at the centre of the conflict. Data from maritime analytics platform Kpler reportedly showed that nine vessels transited the strait on Sunday, with most using an Iranian-controlled route.
Trump’s latest announcement also fits a pattern seen repeatedly during the five-month conflict, with the US president publicly threatening large-scale military action before delaying or reversing course amid diplomatic intervention. The repeated shifts have contributed to uncertainty in global energy markets and concerns over disruptions to oil supplies, the report added.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi travelled to Iraq’s holy city of Najaf on Monday to attend the annual Arbaeen pilgrimage, according to his office. Report says the visit comes as Baghdad continues to balance its ties with both Tehran and Washington following the outbreak of the Iran-Israel conflict.
Separately, Iran’s judiciary said it had executed two men convicted of spying for Israel during last year’s 12-day conflict and the ongoing war. AP cited the judiciary’s Mizan news agency that identified them as Omid Behzad and Pouria Safvat, alleging they supplied military coordinates, photographs and other intelligence used in attacks on Iranian targets.
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