Trump claims Iran deal to reopen Strait of Hormuz is 'imminent' | Live Updates from Fox News Digital

Trump Insists 'talks are going on' with Iran as Tehran sends mixed messages

President Donald Trump confirmed that talks with Iran are in fact taking place Monday despite messaging coming from Iran's foreign ministry.

Trump made the statement while speaking to reporters in the White House on Monday, saying that Iran has a habit of publicly denying talks while engaging the with the U.S.

"For some reason they, when they're talking they don't like saying that they're talking," Trump said. "So I say we're in talks, big deal, we're in talks. And they'll sometimes deny it even thought they spend hours and hours together talking."

"No, the talks are going on," Trump asserted. "We're talking and we're talking at the request of Iran, backed by Saudi Arabia, backed by UAE and backed by Qatar in particular, but others also, many, many countries called, many. The leaders of many are friendly with a lot of them, almost all of them one way or the other. And they all wanted to give this a last chance. This is the last chance."

Trump calls out 'duplicitous' Iranian leadership

President Donald Trump condemned Iranian leaders as "duplicitous" for appearing to back away from intentions to talk on Monday.

Trump wrote on Truth Social that Tehran had begged for a meeting with the U.S. this weekend, leading to a pause in strikes only to walk back on Monday.

"Iranian Leadership is unbelievably duplicitous! They ask for a meeting, some would say 'beg,' talks begin, with more scheduled in the immediate future, and they say, openly and proudly, that they're not having any discussions, that nothing is being talked about, and they're only dealing with 'Oman,'" Trump wrote.

Trump says he is giving Iran 'every last chance' to reach deal

President Donald Trump said Monday that he is giving Iran "every last chance" to reach a deal.

"I want to give them every last chance before decapitation. Very tough to do," Trump told reporters. "I'm very proud of the fact that I'll give people a chance. This is a big move to do an attack that big on a country."

Trump said Iranian officials called him after learning about the planned operation.

"Hopefully they'll come to their senses," Trump added. "So they called me, and they said, 'Please don't attack. We'll make a deal.' That's the real truth. And everyone knows it."

US military 'locked and loaded,' ready for action at levels not seen since WWII, Hegseth warns

War Secretary Pete Hegseth said Sunday U.S. forces remain on alert and are prepared to act, underscoring how President Donald Trump's decision to delay a strike on Iran has not affected military readiness.

"Fact," Hegseth said in a post on X alongside a video of the president.

"The @DeptofWar was ready to go - and remains ready - at levels not seen since World War II," he added before stating that the military was "locked and loaded."

His comments came after the president told reporters that a planned strike on Iran, "would be the biggest attack since World War II," Trump had said while returning from Bedminster, New Jersey.

Trump was also asked whether Tehran faced a deadline to reach an agreement.

"No. We'll just see - we'll just see how it is," he said. "We're ready to go anytime we want," he declared.

DOW Rapid Response (@DOWResponse): .@POTUS "We had an attack that would have been the biggest attack since WORLD WAR II. It would have been DISASTROUS FOR THEM."

Iran vows Strait of Hormuz will never return to pre-war status

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei insisted that the Strait of Hormuz will never return to its pre-war status of free navigation on Monday.

Baqaei says Iran is currently in negotiations with Oman to establish a temporary safe path for shipping through the strait, going on to deny that Iran is in direct talks with the U.S.

"Our negotiations are with Oman and are focused on reaching an understanding on a route that will ensure the safe passage of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz," Baqaei said.

Our goal is to determine, as soon as possible and in consultation with Oman, a route that will likely be temporary and will enable safe maritime navigation through the Strait," he added.

He went on to vow that the strait "will in no way return to the status it was before February 28th."