The US President Said Tehran Had "Begged" for Negotiations and That Talks Were Ongoing to Reach "A Solution" to the Current Stand-off

President Donald Trump accused Iran of being "unbelievably duplicitous" and said Tehran has a "last chance" to agree a peace deal, after the Iranian side denied any discussions were taking place. The US president said Tehran had "begged" for negotiations and that talks were ongoing to reach "a solution" to the current stand-off. "This is a last chance for them to sign a good document, he said.

Trump claimed the Strait of Hormuz could be open "literally by tomorrow, with the first phase being the opening of the straits and the second phase denuclearisation. Iran flatly denied any plan for negotiators to meet with their US counterparts on Monday. Foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran is not holding any talks with Washington, but is in discussions with Oman about securing a temporary safe route through the strait.

Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Iraq's holy city of Najaf for Arbaeen commemorations, while industry minister Mohammad Atabak headed to Pakistan for a two-day visit focused on easing transit bottlenecks during the US naval blockade. A military adviser to Iran's supreme leader, Mohsen Rezaei, warned on X: If the blockade continues, American vessels and forces will face serious risks and casualties. Syrian interim president Ahmad al-Sharaa and Iraq's Kurdish regional president Nechirvan Barzani met in Damascus to discuss cooperation amid drone strikes targeting American interests. Oil prices rebounded slightly, with Brent futures rising $0.62 to $84.39 a barrel and US West Texas Intermediate up $0.61 at $80.95. The US military has asked combat experts for creative ways to pressure Iran, according to a CNN report citing an unidentified source.