WASHINGTON, July 11 (Reuters): U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the United States and Iran have agreed to continue diplomatic talks despite the collapse of a ceasefire that had been in place since May amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said Iran had asked to resume negotiations and that Washington had agreed, but stressed that “the ceasefire is over.”
The talks are expected to focus on reducing regional tensions and ensuring the safety of commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global oil transit route. Washington has called on Tehran to publicly commit to ending attacks on vessels passing through the strategic waterway, where recent hostilities have disrupted oil shipments and fueled volatility in energy markets.
Iran, however, disputed Trump’s account, saying it had not requested talks with the United States. Instead, Tehran said it had agreed to host a Qatari mediator as part of efforts to ease tensions.
A source familiar with the matter told Reuters that Qatari mediators met Iranian officials on Friday to discuss de-escalation and security in the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also arrived in Oman on Saturday for discussions on maritime security, according to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency.
In a separate Truth Social post, Trump warned that he had instructed the U.S. military to be prepared for massive retaliatory strikes against Iran if Tehran attempts to assassinate him. He claimed that 1,000 missiles had been designated for such a response, with thousands more ready if necessary.
The remarks followed reports by The Wall Street Journal and other U.S. media outlets that Israel had shared intelligence with Washington alleging Iran was involved in a plot targeting Trump.
