President Donald Trump has officially denied that the United States is engaged in or has scheduled any diplomatic talks with Iran. Despite his recent claims of back-channel communications with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Monday—which Tehran quickly rejected—the president stated on Tuesday that no such dialogue is currently taking place.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump insisted that the naval blockade of Iranian ports remains “in full force and effect,” while asserting that all other marine traffic is free to navigate the region. To emphasize his stance, he shared a map of the Strait of Hormuz labeled “New US Territory,” a recurring reference to his previous threat to seize the waterway following what he described as Iran’s “surrender.”
The administration’s position remains complex, however. A US official told Al Jazeera that “positive talks” have been ongoing, but noted that Trump has “decided to wait” and instructed his team to pause negotiations until Tehran is prepared to reach a deal. The official maintained there is “no conflict” within the administration regarding this strategy.
Meanwhile, Iran’s top negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, stated in comments published by state media on Tuesday that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the US fulfills the terms of a June memorandum of understanding. These conditions include lifting the blockade on Iranian ports, removing oil sanctions, releasing frozen assets, and ending all military threats and operations against the country.
Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs, responded to Trump’s social media activity by criticizing the president’s rhetoric. He warned that the US leader’s “delusion” regarding the waterway would either be corrected or that Iran would take action to rectify it.
Regional mediation efforts are currently in a holding pattern. Qatar reported on Tuesday that intermediaries are waiting for an expected agreement between Iran and Oman before attempting to facilitate a resumption of talks between Washington and Tehran. These discussions are taking place despite Trump’s earlier threats to bomb Oman should it interfere in the dispute.
The ongoing standoff has led to heightened military activity in the region. On Tuesday evening, the United Arab Emirates issued a missile threat alert, with its Defence Ministry reporting that air defenses had detected two ballistic missiles launched from Iran. Both projectiles reportedly landed in the sea, and the ministry stated it remains on high alert.
In a separate development, Syrian state media reported that eight airstrikes hit the Abu al-Duhur military base in the eastern countryside of Idlib on Tuesday. While no casualties were reported, the strikes caused significant damage.
The international community has expressed concern over the escalating situation. Tom Barrack, the US special envoy for Syria and Iraq, characterized the strikes as an “unnecessary escalation that does not advance regional stability,” as various states continue to attribute the attack to Israel. The report also notes that tehran was quick to reject that claim. The report also notes that he also posted a map depicting the strategic waterway as US territory. The report also notes that the comments represent Trump’s latest about-face. The report also notes that all water mines have been removed or detonated,” Trump posted. The report also notes that “Just as Trump correctly wrote the name of the eternal Persian Gulf, soon his delusion regarding the Strait of Hormuz will either be corrected or we will correct the delusions of this deluded man,” Gharibabadi wrote on social media. The report also notes that threatening to extend the conflict, the rhetoric emerging on both sides illustrates that outward progress towards peace talks and the return of maritime traffic through Hormuz has ground to a halt.
