Iran denies it asked Trump not to strike or agreed to deal to split control of Hormuz

Iranian semi-official news agencies on Sunday denied US President Donald Trump's claim hours earlier that Tehran had asked the US to hold off on any attack, and also negated reports that it had agreed to a deal that would divide control of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's Mehr news agency on Sunday denied the claim by Trump - made as he announced that he had called off strikes since "the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to" - that the Islamic Republic asked the United States to refrain from conducting new strikes. Citing military officials, the agency said the allegation "was nothing but a new lie" and that the Iranian armed forces were "on high alert and ready for any eventuality." While Trump's announcement overnight between Saturday and Sunday asserted that "the country of Israel joins me in this commitment," there has been no official confirmation from any Israeli authority. Israel's Channel 12 news reported Sunday that Trump called off the strikes after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi agreed to a compromise deal on opening up the Strait of Hormuz. According to the report, based on two diplomats familiar with the situation, a compromise deal put together by Qatar and the US would see ships enter the Persian Gulf on the Iranian-controlled side of the strait and exit via the Omani side. Oman agreed to the deal but sought assurances that the agreement would be respected by Iran's hardline Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which the Qataris are attempting to secure, according to the report. But Iran's semi-official Fars news agency on Sunday quoted a member of the country's negotiating team saying that the Israeli media report was "false." Fars also quoted the official as saying that "as long as the United States maintains its hostile actions, the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed" to any ship that does not coordinate with Iran's Revolutionary Guards. While there was no official Israeli reaction, Energy Minister Eli Cohen said Sunday that there was close security and intelligence coordination between Israel and the US on everything happening in the region. "With or without an agreement, and regardless of any external commitments, if Iran attempts to renew its nuclear program or advance its ballistic missile industries, we will be there. We will take action, and we will strike," he told Army Radio.