"The U.S. Has No New Plan for Talks With Iran," Officials Say... Trump Says "Negotiations Are Underway"
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- 2026-08-04 04:30:49
- Updated
- 2026-08-04 04:30:49
Trump is seen speaking after signing an executive order in the Oval Office at The White House on the same day. AFP, Yonhap
U.S. President Donald Trump said on the 3rd (local time) that talks with Iran were currently underway and pressured Tehran by saying this was the last chance.
However, CBS reported, citing U.S. administration officials, that no "new" talks are currently taking place between the United States and Iran, and that there are no plans for such talks.
In other words, while Trump has stressed that talks with Iran are underway, that is not actually happening.
"In Talks"
Speaking to reporters at The White House on the day, Trump said he had canceled a strike on Iran at the request of Arab states and emphasized, "We are currently in talks with Iran." He also made clear that this was Iran's last chance.
He explained that a plan to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz by the 4th is now under discussion, followed by talks on denuclearization. Trump also stressed that Iran would not be allowed to impose transit fees in the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump also said people would know "by today or tomorrow" how talks with Iran are going, adding that it meant "the talks are moving quickly in one way or another."
Iran, however, denied that negotiations with the United States were taking place.
Pakistan
Pakistan, which helped broker the now-canceled memorandum of understanding on a ceasefire between the United States and Iran, continues to play a mediating role.
Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said on the 3rd that it had invited Iran's foreign minister.
According to Pakistan's Foreign Ministry, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar spoke by phone with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on the day.
"No New Negotiation Plan"
Although Trump repeatedly said talks with Iran were underway, U.S. government officials told CBS that there are no plans for any "new" talks between the two sides.
They said negotiations between the U.S. team, led by envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner, and the Iranian delegation are simply continuing as before through mediators.
On the same day, Esmail Baghaei, spokesman for Iran's Foreign Ministry, said at a press briefing that Iran has no plans to hold direct talks with the United States.
Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea Transit "Limited"
As conflicting accounts emerged over U.S.-Iran talks, transit through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping lane, and the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, the gateway to the Red Sea, was confirmed to be limited.
Kpler said on the 3rd that traffic through the two straits "continues to remain limited."
The Strait of Hormuz is controlled by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), while the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait is held by Houthi rebels in Yemen.
In a post on social media platform X on the 2nd, Kpler said, "Nine vessels, including two shadow fleet ships subject to U.S. sanctions, passed through the Strait of Hormuz." Seven of them used an Iranian-designated route. To use that route, vessels must coordinate with Iran and may have to pay transit fees. A total of 30 vessels were also counted passing through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, the entrance from the Gulf of Aden to the Red Sea. Of those, 20 exited the Red Sea and 10 entered it through the strait. The figure was 11 lower than the 41 vessels recorded on the 31st of last month.
[email protected] Song Kyung-jae Reporter