Iran defends its borders but does not seek an expansion of war, President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Tuesday according to state media.
– While US President Donald Trump said on Monday that talks with Iran were underway, Tehran has denied that any negotiations were planned.
– Conflicting signals from the United States and Iran over the status of talks to end their five-month-old war boosted uncertainty on Tuesday, with the latest attack on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz highlighting risks to global energy flows.
– Trump said the talks were under way on Monday, warning of a “last chance” for Tehran to sign a good deal, but Iran denied that negotiations were being held or planned.
– “They are going on right now,” Trump told reporters at an Oval Office event when asked about the state of negotiations.
– “This is a last chance for them (Iran) to sign a good document.”
– The comments followed Trump’s weekend decision to call off “massive attacks” he said he had authorized on Iran, as talks were to be held, repeating a pattern in which he has vowed major strikes only to cancel them.
– Earlier on Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said no negotiations with the United States were taking place and no meetings were scheduled.
– Iran had no plans to host foreign delegations or send negotiators abroad in the coming days, he said.
– Baghaei added that all Iranian negotiators were in the country, except for Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who was on a religious pilgrimage in Iraq. The only talks underway, he said, were discussions with Oman over management of the Strait of Hormuz.