Trump Announces Monday Iran Talks, Refuses to Set Deal Deadline

President Donald Trump announced that diplomatic talks with Iran are set for Monday afternoon, without revealing the location or participants and refusing to confirm any deadline for a settlement. He previously posted that he had halted an imminent attack to accelerate a deal that would completely reopen the Strait of Hormuz and eliminate Iran's nuclear threat, urging Tehran to act quickly. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has spoken with Saudi Prince Faisal bin Farhan and Pakistan army chief Asim Munir, while negotiations with Oman over a new strait route are said to be in their final stages, separate from the channel's opening.

The closure of the Hormuz passage has driven oil prices higher, though early Monday trading saw a decline of more than 4%. Israel’s energy minister Eli Cohen said Israel and the United States maintain close security coordination and will strike if Iran advances its nuclear or ballistic missile programs. Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met in Washington to explore diplomatic, economic and military options, while Tehran continues to deny any nuclear weapons intent.