US President Donald Trump has announced that new talks with Iran will begin on Monday, after deciding to cancel military strikes that he said were planned against Tehran.
Trump said the parties would hold negotiations to reach an agreement and that the meetings would begin on Monday afternoon. “We are talking to them in the form of a negotiation. It starts tomorrow afternoon,” Trump told reporters aboard the presidential plane “Air Force One.”
According to the US president, several Middle Eastern countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, urged him not to launch the attack, as they believe there is a possibility of a deal.
Tehran has yet to confirm the start of talks and has denied Trump’s claims. Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency said the claim that Iran had asked the US to halt military action was false. Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said negotiations with Oman on an agreement on the Strait of Hormuz were progressing.
The announcement of the resumption of negotiations had an immediate impact on international markets. Oil prices fell on Asian stock exchanges as investors saw the possibility of a reduction in tensions between the US and Iran.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the most important points for global energy trade, as about 20% of the world’s crude oil and liquefied natural gas passes through it.
Trump did not give a deadline for reaching a deal with Iran, but stressed that the US remains prepared for military action if negotiations fail. “We are ready to act whenever we want. I am not looking to kill people,” he said.
Earlier, the US president had warned that an attack on Iran would be one of the largest military operations since World War II. However, he said the decision not to attack was made to give diplomacy a chance and avoid further escalation of the conflict.
The location of the talks and the representatives of the parties have not yet been announced. While Washington is seeking a negotiated agreement, Iran continues to warn that it will respond to any military threat.