President Donald Trump accused Iran of duplicity and insisted that talks to reopen the Strait of Hormuz were underway as early as Tuesday, August 4th, 2026. Trump claimed on Truth Social that Iran initially requested meetings and scheduled talks but then publicly denied any discussions, stating they were only dealing with Oman.

In contrast, Iran’s Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei told reporters, “We currently do not have negotiations with America.” Baghaei confirmed that Iran is in discussions with Oman about a temporary safe route through the strait but has no plans to host foreign delegations or send negotiators abroad in the coming days.

The diplomatic uncertainty was underscored by an attack on a cargo vessel near the Strait’s Oman Coast, reported by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center, a British navy-run organization that protects commercial shipping in high-risk areas.

Maritime traffic through the Strait remains significantly reduced, with only six vessels passing through on Monday, August 3rd, compared to about 100 ships during peacetime, according to an NBC News analysis of MarineTraffic data. This disruption contributed to a 2.7% rise in the international oil benchmark Brent crude on Tuesday, reflecting market uncertainty rather than confidence in diplomatic progress.

Trump described Iran as “unbelievably duplicitous,” accusing them of seeking talks on ending the conflict only to later announce no discussions would occur. He added, “You know, we’re straight about it, but they deny it. But they’re not denying it now.”

Sources