Iran denied on Monday that it had held negotiations with the United States, saying it was working on an agreement with Oman regarding a temporary route for maritime transport through the Strait of Hormuz.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei has insisted that the strait - a vital waterway through which about a fifth of all traded oil and natural gas passed before the war began - will remain "closed" until US "violations" end.
"We are not currently negotiating with the United States. Our talks are ongoing with Oman and are focused on reaching an agreement on a route that would allow safe passage of maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Our goal is to determine, as soon as possible and in consultation and cooperation with Oman, a route that would of course be temporary and that would allow us to guarantee the safety of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz."
Baghaei's statement comes just hours after US President Donald Trump announced that US-Iran talks would begin on Monday afternoon.
Trump's announcement came shortly after he canceled new planned attacks on Iran, which he had declared had not been seen since World War II.
Trump says new talks with Iran will begin today, Tehran denies
US President Donald Trump has announced that new talks will begin on Monday with...-
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