Washington, Aug. 3, 2026 – Despite President Trump’s comments last night that negotiations with Iran are set to begin on Monday afternoon, U.S. officials have told CBS News that there are no “new” or novel negotiations planned – just the ongoing talks between Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner and the U.S. negotiating team with the Iranian team, through mediators.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said at a press conference Monday that Tehran had no plans to hold direct talks with Washington, after Mr. Trump’s claim that a “deal is imminent.”
“To avoid any misunderstanding, it is important to clarify what the current negotiations are about and who they are with. We are not negotiating with the United States at this time,” Baghein said.
“Our negotiations are with Oman and are focused on reaching an understanding on a route that will ensure the safe passage of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.
Trump, however, insists Iran begged for talks, calling Iran leadership “unbelievably duplicitous”
President Trump has responded to Tehran’s dismissal of his claim that U.S.-Iran talks were set to restart Monday, calling the country’s leadership “unbelievably duplicitous” and saying they begged for talks.
Trump said on Sunday that he had called off massive strikes on Iran because Gulf allies and Tehran had asked him to give diplomacy a chance, adding that U.S.-Iran talks would resume Monday afternoon and that a “deal is imminent.”
Iran on Monday denied that any talks were planned and said it was only in negotiations with Oman at the moment, to discuss the future of the Strait of Hormuz.
In a post on his Truth Social platform Monday, Mr. Trump wrote: “Iranian Leadership is unbelievably duplicitous! They ask for a meeting, some would say ‘beg,’ talks begin, with more scheduled in the immediate future, and they say, openly and proudly, that they’re not having any discussions, that nothing is being talked about, and they’re only dealing with ‘Oman.'”
“Nothing gets through to Iran, unless we want it to, and nothing will get through, unless a Deal, or Total Surrender, is accomplished,” he added.
“Whether Iran wants to admit it or not, we are, in fact, talking of a solution to a problem that they have caused, for decades. It is very simple, IRAN WILL NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON!” (CBS News)
