U.S. President Donald Trump announced that negotiations aimed at winding down the war with Iran will begin Monday, following his decision to pause major military strikes against the nation.
The upcoming discussions intend to resolve the conflict and restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz—a vital maritime corridor through which roughly 20 percent of global oil and natural gas flowed prior to the outbreak of hostilities.
Trump stated on Sunday that he halted a planned assault—which he described as potentially “the biggest attack since World War II”—after receiving appeals from Gulf allies including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, as well as requests from unnamed Iranian officials.
The shift comes amidst a five-month conflict that has rattled global financial markets and driven up energy and consumer prices.
“Now what we’re doing is we’re talking to them in the form of a negotiation. It begins tomorrow afternoon,” Trump said, without specifying who would participate in the discussions.
However, Iranian officials pushed back on the assertion of direct diplomacy. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei stated on Monday that Tehran is not in talks with Washington, clarifying that current discussions are taking place exclusively with Oman to establish a temporary route for safe passage through the strait.
Despite the tension, maritime data from Kpler indicated that nine vessels successfully transited the waterway on Sunday, primarily using an Iranian-monitored route.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi traveled to Najaf, Iraq, on Monday for the annual Arbaeen pilgrimage. His visit underscores Iraq’s delicate position as a mediator attempting to balance relations between the U.S. and Iran since fighting escalated in February.
In a separate conflict, Israeli strikes hit the Gaza Strip over the weekend despite recent announcements of an agreement for Hamas to disarm.
Gaza medical officials reported at least 17 fatalities from the strikes, including a 4-year-old child killed alongside family members in southern Gaza.