Trump Rules Out Iran Talks as Hormuz Shipping Dispute Deepens
Trump says no talks with Iran are planned and Hormuz is open; Tehran disputes this, and a vessel was hit in the strait.
US President Donald Trump has said there are no negotiations with Iran underway or scheduled, and he insisted the Strait of Hormuz is open to shipping. His remarks on Tuesday contradicted earlier Iranian statements that the critical waterway remains closed.
Trump's comments came as a temporary ceasefire agreement expired on Monday. A senior Iranian official said the country is moving to a "fully offensive" military posture because of the diplomatic stalemate, though no fresh strikes were reported on Tuesday.
Trump also said the naval blockade of Iran remains in full force and that all water mines in the strait have been removed or detonated. His statement followed a more optimistic assessment on Monday from his son-in-law and special envoy, Jared Kushner, who said talks with Iran were still underway and were "probably more robust" than ever.
Despite the president's assurances, preliminary shipping data showed crossings through the Strait of Hormuz were still in single digits on Monday. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported that a vessel was struck by an unknown projectile while transiting outbound in the strait, causing engine room damage and a crew casualty. The remaining crew were being assisted by the Omani Coast Guard.
Top Iranian negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said the strait will remain shut until the US meets conditions of an interim deal signed in June. Those conditions include lifting the blockade of Iranian ports, ending oil sanctions, releasing Tehran's frozen assets, and stopping military threats and operations on all fronts.
The June 17 memorandum set a 60-day window for a broader agreement on Iran's nuclear programme and sanctions. That period elapsed on Monday, and Trump said he has no plans to extend it. The deal had already unravelled over a dispute about control of the strait, through which a fifth of global oil and LNG flowed before the war.
Iran says it remains open to dialogue but does not confuse negotiations with surrender, according to an adviser to the supreme leader. The adviser said military pressure and sanctions will not break Iran's resolve, though officials are worried that more economic punishment could reignite unrest and erode the government's legitimacy.
The conflict, which began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, has killed thousands, mainly in Iran and Lebanon. Iran has bombed US military bases and infrastructure in several countries, including Oman, Jordan, Kuwait, Israel, the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Brent crude futures settled up 20 cents on Tuesday at just over $91 a barrel, after peaking at $126 during the conflict. US gasoline prices have risen above $4 per gallon, up from less than $3 before the war.