Hours after criticising Iran's leadership as "duplicitous" over negotiations, US President Donald Trump claimed on Monday that talks with Tehran were currently underway and warned that the country was running out of time to strike a deal. He said the discussions were taking place at Iran's request and had the backing of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, even though Tehran has repeatedly denied holding direct negotiations with Washington.
Speaking to reporters, Trump maintained that active discussions with Iran were in progress and said key regional allies were supporting efforts to reach an agreement.
"I think we're going to maybe get something, but I want to give them every last chance before decapitation," he said.
"We are talking right now (with Iran) at the request of Iran, backed by Saudi Arabia, backed by the UAE, and backed by Qatar in particular, but others also. Many countries called, but if it doesn't happen, this is the last chance for them to sign a good document," Trump added.
However, Trump did not reveal where the talks were being held or who was representing either side. His remarks added to the conflicting accounts surrounding US-Iran diplomacy. Earlier in the day, he had accused Iranian leaders of publicly denying negotiations while privately seeking meetings with US officials.
Earlier on Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei rejected claims of any talks with Washington, saying no meetings had been scheduled in the coming days. According to him, the only ongoing discussions involved Oman and focused solely on managing the Strait of Hormuz. A senior Iranian source also told Reuters that no negotiations were planned and that Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, who is currently on a religious pilgrimage in Iraq, would not be available for talks until at least the end of the week.
Reacting to Tehran's denial, Trump accused Iran's leadership of speaking differently in public and private. In a Truth Social post, he described Iranian officials as "unbelievably duplicitous" and claimed they had requested meetings while publicly insisting they were communicating only through Oman.
He further warned that nothing would move through Iran unless the country accepted "a Deal, or Total Surrender", while reiterating that the US would never allow Tehran to acquire a nuclear weapon.
The latest developments followed a pattern that has repeatedly emerged since Trump launched "Operation Epic Fury" alongside Israel more than five months ago. On several occasions, Washington has hinted at major military action against Iran, only for Trump to later cite diplomatic engagement as the reason for avoiding further escalation.
WAR OBJECTIVES REMAIN UNFULFILLED
Despite months of military operations, sanctions and repeated warnings, the Trump administration has not yet achieved the goals it set at the outset of the conflict. Those objectives included dismantling Iran's nuclear programme, reducing Tehran's capacity to threaten regional rivals and creating conditions for political change within the Islamic Republic.
Instead, each round of escalation has been met with an Iranian response. Tehran has repeatedly retaliated by targeting US forces, Gulf allies or commercial shipping, before both sides eventually stepped back to prevent the conflict from worsening.
The Strait of Hormuz remains central to the standoff between Washington and Tehran.
The US maintains that a June memorandum required Iran to ensure unrestricted navigation through the strategic waterway, which handles a significant share of global seaborne oil exports. Iran, however, argues that the agreement did not limit its authority over shipping in the strait.
The disagreement has allowed Tehran to retain significant leverage over one of the world's most important energy routes. Despite sustained pressure from Washington, Iran has so far maintained its influence over the Strait of Hormuz, leaving it as one of the key unresolved issues in the ongoing confrontation between the two countries.
