Trump says new round of Iran talks will begin Monday

US President Donald Trump declared on Sunday that diplomatic talks with Iran would begin Monday, following his decision to postpone military action in favour of negotiation. Trump indicated that a comprehensive military operation had been prepared but was halted to allow diplomatic channels to proceed. He provided no specifics regarding the talks' location or participating parties.

Trump attributed his decision to pressure from regional allies, specifically naming Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar as having urged him to suspend the planned strikes. Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly warned of potential unintended consequences, including humanitarian crises and regional destabilization. Trump indicated that discussions would address both maritime security through the Strait of Hormuz and Iran's nuclear programme.

Parallel diplomatic efforts were underway regionally. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi conducted a second phone call with Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, joined by Pakistani Army Commander Asim Munir, to discuss security initiatives and regional stability measures. Iran's official news agency reported that negotiations between Tehran and Oman regarding the Strait of Hormuz were in advanced stages, with discussions focused on establishing new maritime routes.

The current tensions stem from military escalations that began in February when the US and Israel launched surprise strikes against Iran. A previous ceasefire agreement that included reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy corridor, had collapsed. Iran subsequently increased its control over the waterway as both nations resumed military operations in recent weeks.