Trump blasts ‘duplicitous’ Iran after Tehran denies it is in talks with the US

What the report says

US President Donald Trump accused Iran’s leadership of being “duplicitous” after Tehran said it was not in direct talks with Washington, according to an Al Jazeera report published on 3 August 2026. Trump posted on Truth Social that Iran had first sought negotiations to end the war and then denied such talks were taking place. He also repeated his demand for what he called “total surrender” and said the United States would continue restricting movement through Iran’s southern ports and the Strait of Hormuz until a deal was reached.

Al Jazeera reported that Trump described the US naval blockade in the waterway as a “Wall of Steel,” and said nothing would be allowed through unless an agreement was reached. The outlet said new talks had been expected to begin on Monday after Trump said he had paused a threatened large-scale bombing campaign. He said he had weighed advice from Gulf partners Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, as well as messages from unnamed Iranian figures, before holding off on the strike plan.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry said it was pursuing diplomacy through Oman and other regional and international channels, but not direct talks with the United States. Spokesman Esmail Baghaei said Oman was working on a temporary route to keep shipping safe. The report added that Iran’s trade minister was traveling to Pakistan for discussions partly aimed at easing transit problems during the blockade, underscoring the wider regional economic pressure from the conflict.