U.S. President Donald Trump says Iran has requested a new round of talks with the United States, but Iranian officials insist no meeting has been scheduled, highlighting continued uncertainty surrounding efforts to secure a lasting agreement after recent military clashes.
In a social media post Monday, Trump claimed U.S. and Iranian officials would meet Tuesday in Doha, Qatar. However, Iranian authorities denied that any such meeting had been arranged.
The conflicting statements come as both countries attempt to preserve an increasingly fragile interim agreement following renewed hostilities in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.
Earlier Monday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian announced that Qatar would release US$6 billion in frozen Iranian assets as part of the interim agreement with Washington. He described the development as “a great victory for the Iranian people,” portraying it as a significant diplomatic achievement despite mounting regional tensions.
The announcement comes after Iran launched drone and missile attacks targeting Bahrain and Kuwait on Sunday and carried out attacks on vessels transiting near Oman’s territorial waters in recent days. The incidents prompted retaliatory U.S. airstrikes and raised concerns that negotiations aimed at formally ending the conflict could collapse.
The Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s traded oil and natural gas passes during normal conditions, has become the focal point of the crisis. Iran’s attacks and threats disrupted commercial shipping, temporarily halting cargo vessels and oil tankers and triggering fresh concerns over global energy supplies and potential increases in fuel prices.
The growing instability also poses political challenges for Trump, who has repeatedly pointed to easing inflation as a key economic achievement. Any prolonged disruption to energy markets could reverse recent declines in oil prices and increase costs for consumers.
While both Washington and Tehran continue to signal support for diplomacy, Monday’s contradictory statements underscore the uncertainty surrounding the next phase of negotiations and whether the interim agreement can survive continued military escalation in the region.
