Donald Trump Tells Team to Pause Iran Talks Until Tehran Is Ready for a Deal

US President Donald Trump has instructed his negotiating team to pause diplomatic discussions with Iran until Tehran is prepared to reach a deal, amid growing differences between Washington and Tehran over the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump also sought to dismiss suggestions of disagreement within his administration over the approach to negotiations with Iran, saying there was no division over the current policy.

The latest development comes as the two sides continue to issue conflicting statements about the status of the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.

Trump had earlier rejected Iran’s position on the waterway, saying the US naval blockade remained in effect while the strait itself was open and operating.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said there were currently no talks or discussions taking place with Tehran. He also claimed that the Strait of Hormuz was operational and that naval mines in the area had either been removed or detonated.

Iran, however, has linked the reopening of the strategic waterway to specific commitments from the United States.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Tehran would not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until Washington fulfils the terms of a 14-point Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

The demands reportedly include lifting the blockade, releasing frozen Iranian assets and easing restrictions on Iranian oil exports.

The contrasting positions underline the continuing diplomatic standoff between the two countries, with the Strait of Hormuz remaining at the centre of the dispute.

For now, Trump’s latest directive indicates that Washington is unwilling to resume negotiations until Iran signals its readiness to agree to a deal.

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