United States President Donald Trump sharply criticized Iranian leaders on Monday, describing them as “unbelievably duplicitous” for publicly downplaying ongoing diplomatic contacts with the United States while pressing ahead with separate negotiations involving Oman over safe passage in the Strait of Hormuz.
In a strongly worded Truth Social post, Trump said Iran had requested meetings, even “begging” for talks in the eyes of some, only to later claim that no discussions with Washington were taking place and that they were dealing solely with Oman. He dismissed Iranian assertions of control over the strategic waterway, emphasizing that the United States Navy maintains firm dominance there through what he called a “Blockade” or “Wall of Steel.”
“Nothing gets through to Iran, unless we want it to,” Trump declared, adding that a resolution would require either “a Deal, or Total Surrender.” He reiterated his firm stance that “IRAN WILL NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON,” said the US President.
The remarks come after US President Donald Trump, speaking aboard Air Force One on Sunday, said that negotiations with Iran will begin Monday afternoon, noting that Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar had asked the United States to call off planned strikes because “they think there’s a deal.”
Iranian officials, meanwhile, described their talks with Oman as focused on practical maritime arrangements rather than direct negotiations with the US.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Monday that the discussions center on establishing a temporary “intermediate route” for safe shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. This would combine a southern corridor through Omani waters and a northern one through Iranian territorial waters into a round-trip passage, to be used until a permanent solution is reached.
Baghaei attributed the current disruptions in the strait not to bilateral differences with Oman, but to “US-Israeli military aggression” against Iran. He stressed that the waterway’s status would remain unchanged as long as Washington continues what he called its “malicious” actions.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi indicated over the weekend that the Oman negotiations have reached their final stages, according to state media.
Earlier on Sunday, US President Donald Trump said Washington had agreed to postpone a planned military strike on Iran after Tehran and several Middle Eastern countries called for a pause, saying the broad framework of a potential deal had been reached.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the US remained fully prepared to launch military action but had chosen to suspend the planned attack to give diplomacy a chance to progress.
“The U.S.A. is locked and loaded and ready to go against the Islamic Republic of Iran, at levels of Military Terror, Strength, and Power not seen since World War II,” Trump wrote.
Trump said Iran and other countries in the region had asked Washington to delay the military action because “the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to.”
He said the proposed agreement would involve the “Immediate, Complete, and Total OPENING OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT” as well as an end to what he described as Iran’s nuclear threat.
“Based on this request, I have agreed, for the future benefit of the WORLD and, likewise, the survival of a successful and prosperous Iran, to cancel the attack, subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL,” Trump said.
Trump also claimed that Israel had backed the decision to give diplomacy a chance.
(with inputs from agencies)
