Trump says new Iran negotiations starting: What we know

What the report says

United States President Donald Trump said on Sunday and again on Monday that he had paused planned U.S. strikes on Iran and that new negotiations were about to begin. In remarks reported by Al Jazeera, Trump suggested an agreement was close, but he did not identify where talks would take place, who would attend, or whether there was a deadline. Iran’s foreign ministry then appeared to push back, with spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei saying Tehran would not host a delegation during these days, leaving unclear whether any indirect diplomacy might still proceed.

Al Jazeera reported that the most concrete discussions appear to involve Iran and Oman, with possible mediation by regional actors including Qatar and Pakistan. The immediate focus is the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route for global oil and liquefied natural gas flows. Iranian officials said talks on a new route for the waterway have been underway for about a week and that some progress has been made, while Oman had recently presented a proposal that Tehran rejected.

Several analysts quoted by Al Jazeera said a limited arrangement on the strait may be possible, but a broader peace deal or nuclear agreement remains distant. They also warned that repeated threats and last-minute cancellations by Trump could weaken trust in any future deal. The reporting adds that oil prices fell after Trump backed off the strikes, while U.S. defense officials said Washington still remains prepared to attack if needed.