President Trump Claims Imminent Deal with Iran as Tehran Denies Direct Negotiations
President Trump announced that a deal with Iran is imminent, citing the opening of the Strait of Hormuz and the denuclearization of Iran as primary objectives. He stated that he has no time constraints on the negotiations because he is not seeking reelection, and he called off a series of massive strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure that would have been the largest since World War II. However, the Iranian leadership has publicly denied that direct negotiations with the United States are currently underway. Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei clarified that Tehran is currently negotiating with Oman to establish a temporary maritime route through the Strait of Hormuz. While the administration announced the progress of these talks, Iran maintains that it can absorb military pressure and is using proxies like the Houthis to maintain leverage. The conflict has resulted in significant global energy impacts, with Saudi Aramco reporting a loss of 2.6 billion barrels of crude oil. Despite the diplomatic push, the administration announced that 50,000 U.S. troops remain deployed in the Middle East as the war enters its sixth month.