Trump denies planned talks with Iran over Hormuz Strait tensions

Donald Trump declared on Truth Social on Tuesday that the United States has no scheduled talks with Iran, even as he insists the Strait of Hormuz remains open for all ships. The former president posted a map that labels the waterway as “New U.S. Territory” and reiterated that the naval blockade of Iranian ports is still in full force. He added that all water mines have been removed or detonated.

The comment comes after a week of shifting U.S. signals. On Monday Trump said the United States was engaged in back‑channel talks with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a claim Tehran rejected outright. Iran and Oman, the two countries that border the strait, have been negotiating a deal to keep the waterway open while the U.S. demands Iran surrender its demands. The U.S. has threatened to bomb Oman if it interferes, while Iran has said the strait will stay closed until Washington meets the terms of a memorandum of understanding signed in June.

Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, responded on social media, calling Trump’s statements delusional and warning that the U.S. would correct its view of the strait. Iran’s top negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said the waterway will remain shut until the U.S. lifts its blockade, removes oil sanctions, releases frozen assets and stops all military threats. A U.S. official told Al Jazeera that “positive talks” are ongoing but that Trump has decided to wait until Tehran is ready to make a deal. The official said there is no conflict in the administration’s position regarding talks with Iran.

Mediators in Qatar are waiting for the expected Iran‑Oman agreement before pushing Washington and Tehran to resume negotiations. The U.S. has signalled it will hold off on further talks until it sees Iran meet its conditions. The situation remains fluid, with both sides exchanging sharp rhetoric and the international community watching closely to see whether the strait will stay open or close again.