Trump insists Iran talks under way, warns Tehran’s ‘last chance’ to secure deal
Middle East Eye
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Middle East Eye
Original Source
US President Donald Trump claims direct negotiations with Iran are underway and warns Tehran this round is its 'last chance' to secure a deal ending the war. However, Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson denies any direct talks with Washington, stating that discussions on the Strait of Hormuz remain Oman-mediated.
US President Donald Trump claims that direct negotiations with Iran are under way, and has warned that the latest round is Tehran’s “last chance” to secure a deal to end the war.
Esmaeil Baghaei, Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson, denied that any direct negotiations with Washington were ongoing, nor any plans for meetings, as the talks over the management of the Strait of Hormuz remain mediated by Oman.
According to sources who spoke to Anadolu, Pakistani and Qatari negotiators are working to secure a meeting date and venue.
On Monday, Pakistan issued an urgent invitation to Iranian negotiators to Islamabad, in what appears to be a bid to renew stalled Iran-US talks.
During a phone call, Pakistan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammed Ishaq Dar invited Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to Islamabad “at his earliest convenience".
Mohsen Rezaei, the top military adviser to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, warned that American military vessels and forces will “face serious risks and casualties” if Washington’s naval blockade on Iranian ports continues.
"The U.S. must change its behavior — or we will not tolerate this. We will never permit the opening of a second corridor in the Strait of Hormuz,” Rezaei said in a post on X.
Iranian and US officials told the New York Times that Iran and Oman are close to finalising a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping traffic, handing Tehran near total control over the contested waterway.
Reuters reported on Tuesday that a Liberian-flagged ship was struck by an unknown projectile while crossing the Strait close to Oman’s coast.
According to maritime sources, at least one seafarer remains missing after the crew abandoned the vessel.
Meanwhile, Rezaei confirmed that a plan to conduct retaliatory strikes on three sites in Ukraine, following a Ukrainian attack on an Iranian ship, was scrapped after Kyiv issued an “apology”.
In an interview with Iranian state television, Rezaei said that Tehran's armed forces had completed preparations for the strikes before the operation was aborted.
The five month US-Iran conflict has sent oil giants’ profits soaring amid surging oil and gas prices, with BP reporting that its quarterly profits had more than doubled.
Shell confirmed that it had doubled its net profit to almost $10bn in the three months to June, while Saudi-owned Aramco saw a 44 percent rise in net profits over the same period.
Seventh round of peace talks
Meanwhile, the seventh round of talks between Israel and Lebanon are under way in Rome.
The three-day round of US-brokered negotiations will focus on continued Israeli violations of a conditional ceasefire struck in April, including land-clearing operations, explosions and the demolition of homes.
A Lebanese official told Anadolu that their delegation will propose designating new pilot areas for Israeli withdrawal, with the second phase covering either Bint Jbeil or Khiam, both south of the Litani River in southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said on Monday that the talks will bring "nothing but shame, humiliation, and successive compromises" for Lebanon.
In a televised address, Qassem said Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun "has not acted as an arbiter, nor as a unifying figure, but has become biased and divisive, which is incompatible with his role and with Lebanon's strength".
The renewed talks come amid ongoing Israeli attacks and demolitions targeting homes in several southern Lebanese towns.
The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNFIL) said on Monday that it had continued to observe “daily Israeli violations of Lebanon’s airspace, roadblocks and activities in its territorial waters”.
Peacekeepers reported 125 air violations, with the combined total overflight time exceeding 418 hours between Thursday and Sunday.
“Peacekeepers also report extensive military activity on the ground in south Lebanon, including significant engineering works and active troop movements,” a UN deputy spokesperson said.
Israel has killed over 4,300 people and wounded another 12,200 since it renewed its assault on Lebanon on 2 March.
Esmaeil Baghaei, Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson, denied that any direct negotiations with Washington were ongoing, nor any plans for meetings, as the talks over the management of the Strait of Hormuz remain mediated by Oman.
According to sources who spoke to Anadolu, Pakistani and Qatari negotiators are working to secure a meeting date and venue.
On Monday, Pakistan issued an urgent invitation to Iranian negotiators to Islamabad, in what appears to be a bid to renew stalled Iran-US talks.
During a phone call, Pakistan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammed Ishaq Dar invited Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to Islamabad “at his earliest convenience".
Mohsen Rezaei, the top military adviser to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, warned that American military vessels and forces will “face serious risks and casualties” if Washington’s naval blockade on Iranian ports continues.
"The U.S. must change its behavior — or we will not tolerate this. We will never permit the opening of a second corridor in the Strait of Hormuz,” Rezaei said in a post on X.
Iranian and US officials told the New York Times that Iran and Oman are close to finalising a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping traffic, handing Tehran near total control over the contested waterway.
Reuters reported on Tuesday that a Liberian-flagged ship was struck by an unknown projectile while crossing the Strait close to Oman’s coast.
According to maritime sources, at least one seafarer remains missing after the crew abandoned the vessel.
Meanwhile, Rezaei confirmed that a plan to conduct retaliatory strikes on three sites in Ukraine, following a Ukrainian attack on an Iranian ship, was scrapped after Kyiv issued an “apology”.
In an interview with Iranian state television, Rezaei said that Tehran's armed forces had completed preparations for the strikes before the operation was aborted.
The five month US-Iran conflict has sent oil giants’ profits soaring amid surging oil and gas prices, with BP reporting that its quarterly profits had more than doubled.
Shell confirmed that it had doubled its net profit to almost $10bn in the three months to June, while Saudi-owned Aramco saw a 44 percent rise in net profits over the same period.
Seventh round of peace talks
Meanwhile, the seventh round of talks between Israel and Lebanon are under way in Rome.
The three-day round of US-brokered negotiations will focus on continued Israeli violations of a conditional ceasefire struck in April, including land-clearing operations, explosions and the demolition of homes.
A Lebanese official told Anadolu that their delegation will propose designating new pilot areas for Israeli withdrawal, with the second phase covering either Bint Jbeil or Khiam, both south of the Litani River in southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said on Monday that the talks will bring "nothing but shame, humiliation, and successive compromises" for Lebanon.
In a televised address, Qassem said Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun "has not acted as an arbiter, nor as a unifying figure, but has become biased and divisive, which is incompatible with his role and with Lebanon's strength".
The renewed talks come amid ongoing Israeli attacks and demolitions targeting homes in several southern Lebanese towns.
The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNFIL) said on Monday that it had continued to observe “daily Israeli violations of Lebanon’s airspace, roadblocks and activities in its territorial waters”.
Peacekeepers reported 125 air violations, with the combined total overflight time exceeding 418 hours between Thursday and Sunday.
“Peacekeepers also report extensive military activity on the ground in south Lebanon, including significant engineering works and active troop movements,” a UN deputy spokesperson said.
Israel has killed over 4,300 people and wounded another 12,200 since it renewed its assault on Lebanon on 2 March.
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Source: Middle East Eye
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