US President Donald Trump said Iran has been given a last chance to reach an agreement with Washington, claiming that a planned military strike was paused after Iran and several Gulf countries urged diplomacy.
Speaking at the Oval Office, Trump said the US was prepared to launch a major attack on Iran but delayed the action after receiving calls from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and Iran to continue discussions.
Trump also said discussions were underway to reopen the Strait of Hormuz completely, possibly by tomorrow. He described this as the first phase, with the second phase focusing on the denuclearisation of Iran.
However, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei denied reports of direct or indirect negotiations with the US, saying Tehran was not holding talks with Washington.
He also said a recent Iran-Oman maritime arrangement was only a technical step for safer ship movement and did not mean the Strait of Hormuz had been reopened.
Trump again accused Iran of denying talks publicly while engaging in discussions privately. He repeated that Iran would not be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons.
Separately, Trump signed an executive order creating the first-ever Presidential Military Spouse Commission to support military families.