Why Donald Trump Says No Iran Talks Are Taking Place and None Are Scheduled

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday, August 18, said there were no talks or conversations taking place with Iran and none were scheduled, while asserting that the Strait of Hormuz was open and operating. His comments came as Iran's top negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said the strategic waterway would remain shut until Washington met Tehran's conditions under an interim deal signed in June.

The sharply different positions underline the continuing impasse between Washington and Tehran after a 60-day negotiating window expired without a resolution. Trump said the US naval blockade remained in force, while Qalibaf demanded that Washington lift the blockade and oil sanctions, release frozen Iranian assets and end military operations and threats. Donald Trump Posts AI Image Calling Strait of Hormuz ‘NEW US Territory’ Amid Iran Tensions.

Donald Trump Says No Iran Talks Are Taking Place and None Are Scheduled

Why Donald Trump Says There Are No Iran Talks

Trump said on Truth Social that there were no ongoing or scheduled discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran.

"There are no talks or conversations going on, or ⁠scheduled, with the Islamic Republic of Iran. The Naval Blockade remains in full force and effect. The Hormuz Strait is open and operating. All water mines have been removed or detonated," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. Strait of Hormuz Won’t Reopen Until US Meets 14-Point MoU Conditions, Iran Says.

His statement came amid conflicting signals over whether diplomatic channels remain active. Recent reporting has indicated that the US and Iran have had indirect contacts, while Trump is now publicly saying that no talks are taking place or planned.

Iran Says Strait Of Hormuz Will Remain Shut

Iranian parliament speaker and top negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf gave a different account of the situation. Qalibaf said the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until the United States met conditions Tehran says were part of an interim agreement reached in June.

Those conditions include lifting the US blockade of Iranian ports, removing oil sanctions, releasing Iran's frozen assets and ending US threats and military operations on all fronts. The opposing claims mean Washington and Tehran currently have fundamentally different positions on both the status of the waterway and the conditions for any diplomatic progress.

What Is The Dispute Over The Strait Of Hormuz?

The Strait of Hormuz is a strategically important waterway connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the wider Arabian Sea. Its status has become central to the US-Iran confrontation because the waterway is a major route for global energy shipments. Disruptions to shipping have already contributed to concerns about oil supplies and prices.

Trump said the strait was "open and operating" and that water mines had been removed or detonated. Iran, however, maintains that the waterway will not reopen on its terms until the United States meets its demands.

What Happened To The June Interim Deal?

The latest standoff follows the expiration of a 60-day negotiating window linked to an interim agreement reached in June. The arrangement was intended to reduce the conflict and create a path toward further negotiations, including discussions over Iran's nuclear programme and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

The deadline expired without the two sides resolving their differences. Both Washington and Tehran have blamed the other for the breakdown.

Why There Is Confusion Over US-Iran Contacts

Trump's latest statement is significant because it comes after reports of contacts between American and Iranian representatives through diplomatic backchannels.

According to recent reporting, Trump had previously indicated that US officials were communicating with Iranian representatives. His latest statement, however, rules out both current and scheduled talks. The discrepancy has added uncertainty over whether informal channels could still be used to prevent further escalation, even without formal negotiations.

For now, the two governments remain far apart. Washington says its naval blockade remains in force and that the Strait of Hormuz is operating. Tehran says the waterway will remain closed until the US lifts the blockade, removes oil sanctions, releases frozen assets and ends military action and threats.

The lack of an agreed diplomatic framework leaves the future of the Iran conflict and the strategically important waterway uncertain, with developments likely to be closely watched by energy markets and governments across the region.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 18, 2026 07:48 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).