US President Donald Trump has announced that new negotiations with Iran will begin on Monday, after he decided to hold off on a large-scale military strike in favour of pursuing a diplomatic solution to the conflict that is now entering its sixth month.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump said the talks would address the status of the Strait of Hormuz—a critical artery for global energy shipments—and the denuclearisation of Iran. He did not specify the venue or the participants, but described the move as a negotiation rather than a continuation of hostilities.
The announcement came after a weekend of heightened tension. Trump had threatened to hit Iran "very hard" and was reportedly considering strikes on energy infrastructure, with US embassies across the region on alert. On Saturday, however, he pulled back, saying the "perimeters" of a deal were in place.
"Now what we're doing is we're talking to them in the form of a negotiation. It begins tomorrow afternoon," Trump said. He claimed that both Iran and US partners Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar had asked him to hold off on the strikes, which he said would have been "the biggest attack since World War II." Iranian media denied that Tehran had made such a request.
Hormuz remains the flashpoint
The Strait of Hormuz has become the central sticking point. Before the war, the waterway was open to all vessels, but Iran closed it during the conflict and now insists on controlling it and charging tolls—a demand the US rejects. That dispute triggered a return to strikes last month, as Tehran refused to allow ships to use any route other than one hugging its coast.
On Sunday, a tanker off the coast of Oman reported hearing an explosion nearby, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) Centre, though the vessel and crew were safe. The incident underscored the continued volatility of the region, where maritime traffic has dropped sharply, according to tracking firm Kpler.
Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told state television that a deal was close with Oman over a new route through the strait. "We are now going to reach an understanding on a route acceptable to both sides, neither the northern route nor the southern route, but one that respects the sovereign rights of both sides and safeguards our national interests and security," he said. He insisted, however, that such an agreement would not mean the reopening of the strait.
Iranian lawmaker Hassan Ghashghavi, spokesman for the parliament's national security commission, said mediators were trying to revive the US-Iran memorandum of understanding agreed in June. That document was not intended as a final peace deal but as a stepping stone to comprehensive negotiations, though it did include provisions on Hormuz. "They know that the main issue and, in fact, the key to the matter right now is the issue of the Strait of Hormuz, so yes, there is an exchange of views," Ghashghavi said.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian wrote on X: "We must strive to compel the enemy to remain committed to what it has signed."
The conflict began on 28 February, when the US and Israel launched surprise strikes against Iran. Months of on-off diplomacy have produced periods of relative calm, but a previous ceasefire that included the reopening of Hormuz collapsed. Western nations accuse Iran of seeking a nuclear bomb, while Tehran insists its programme is entirely civilian.
The prospect of renewed talks was welcomed by markets. Oil prices fell on Monday at the opening of Asian trade, with West Texas Intermediate dropping 4.7% to $80.72 (€69.99) per barrel.
For Europe, the stability of the Strait of Hormuz is of direct concern. European economies rely heavily on Gulf oil and gas, and any disruption to shipping lanes would have immediate consequences for energy prices and supply chains across the continent. The EU has been closely monitoring the situation, and the bloc's diplomatic efforts have repeatedly sought to de-escalate tensions. The coming days will test whether this new round of negotiations can deliver what months of intermittent diplomacy have failed to achieve.
