Trump delays Iran strike, pushes Aug. 3 talks on Hormuz route
What's new: Tehran publicly denied any immediate direct talks with Washington, adding fresh uncertainty to a war now in its sixth month.
President Donald Trump said the United States will begin new talks with Iran on Aug. 3 after he pulled back from a planned strike and sought a negotiated path to end the war. Trump said the discussions would focus first on the Strait of Hormuz, a vital energy shipping lane, and ultimately on Iran's nuclear program. But Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said there was no immediate plan for direct negotiations with Washington, saying Tehran was only in talks with Oman over the strait. The conflicting messages underscored how fragile diplomacy remains after a June ceasefire collapsed. Markets reacted quickly, with oil prices falling after Trump signaled he would hold off on military action.