Iran said on Monday it is not engaged in negotiations with the United States, rejecting President Donald Trump's claim that talks would begin, while confirming it is working with Oman to establish a temporary shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking at a weekly press briefing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said Tehran's discussions with Muscat are focused on ensuring safe navigation through the strategic waterway.
"We are not having negotiations with the United States," Baqaei said, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.
On Sunday, Trump had told reporters aboard Air Force One that talks with Iran would begin on Monday afternoon and expressed optimism that an agreement on the Strait of Hormuz and Iran's "denuclearisation" could soon be reached.
The US president said he had cancelled a planned military strike on Friday after discussions involving Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Iran, claiming regional countries believed "a deal is imminent."
Talks with Oman
Baqaei said Iran's negotiations with Oman are aimed at establishing a temporary maritime route through the Strait of Hormuz to safeguard commercial shipping.
"We are working to establish a temporary route, in cooperation with Oman, as soon as possible, so that we can ensure the safety of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz," he said.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that the negotiations with Oman were in their final stages, while Baqaei stressed the talks were bilateral and did not involve any other country.
He said discussions over the future management of the Strait of Hormuz had been underway for some time and, under the memorandum of understanding with the United States that ended the recent conflict, Iran was expected to coordinate future arrangements with Oman and regional states.
According to Baqaei, the new route under discussion would differ from both the current northern shipping lane and the southern route, which Tehran says undermines its security interests.
He stressed that reaching an agreement with Oman "does not mean that the Strait of Hormuz will be opened or remain closed," adding that Iran would continue to act according to its national interests.
Baqaei also said the situation in the Strait of Hormuz "will not change as long as the United States continues its acts of aggression and its blockade."
There was no immediate comment from Oman on the Iranian statements.
