Trump says Iran talks are not underway as Tehran keeps Strait of Hormuz closed

Washington, United States. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that no talks with Iran were taking place or scheduled, while Iran said the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until the United States fulfilled conditions under an interim agreement.

Trump’s statement

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the naval blockade remained fully in force and that the Hormuz Strait was open and operating.

He also said all water mines had been removed or detonated.

Iran’s conditions

Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, described by Iranian state media as the country’s top negotiator, said the Strait would remain shut until the United States met the terms of an interim deal signed in June.

Speaking to parliament, Qalibaf said the conditions included lifting the blockade of Iranian ports, ending oil sanctions, releasing Tehran’s frozen assets and ending threats and military operations on all fronts.

Conflicting accounts of negotiations

On Monday, Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and special envoy, said talks were still underway and expressed optimism about them.

“I can’t go into the details of it, but I will say that the conversations between the U.S. government and different areas of the Iranian government at all areas is probably more robust than it’s maybe ever been,” Kushner told Fox News.

Trump was asked on Monday whether the United States was seeking to extend the June interim agreement and said it was not.

Conflict and shipping

Progress towards peace talks and the resumption of oil tanker traffic through the strategic Strait of Hormuz has stalled, threatening to extend the conflict launched by the United States and Israel with attacks on Iran on February 28.

A senior Iranian official told Reuters on Monday that Iran would shift to a “fully offensive” military posture because efforts to negotiate a permanent end to the war with the United States had stalled.