US President Donald Trump on Monday said discussions were underway to reopen the Strait of Hormuz “completely” by tomorrow as part of the first phase of negotiations with Iran.

He added that the second phase of talks would focus on the denuclearisation of Iran, stressing that Tehran would never be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon.

Speaking at the Oval Office after signing an Executive Order establishing the first-ever Presidential Military Spouse Commission, Trump expressed confidence that progress on the strategic waterway could be achieved within a day.

He remarked that the matter was straightforward, describing Phase 1 as the full reopening of the Strait, followed by Phase 2 which would involve dismantling Iran’s nuclear capacity. He emphasised that Washington’s position on preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons had never changed.

Trump said Iran had been given what he described as a “last chance” to reach an agreement, noting that the United States had paused a planned military strike after requests from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Iran to allow diplomacy to proceed.

He insisted that the negotiations were taking place at Tehran’s request, supported by regional powers, and that many countries had urged Washington to give diplomacy one final opportunity.

The President accused Iran of publicly denying negotiations despite engaging in lengthy discussions with US officials. He described the situation as “amazing,” pointing out that Iranian representatives had spent hours in talks while simultaneously rejecting claims of dialogue.

He further revealed that Washington had been prepared to launch a major military operation against Iran before regional interventions prompted restraint. He said the planned strike would have been harder than any attack since World War II, but calls from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and others persuaded him to hold back.

Trump claimed Iran did not want to be hit and instead sought talks, particularly on denuclearisation, which he described as the central issue. He reiterated on Truth Social that Iran would never be allowed to develop nuclear weapons, accusing its leadership of duplicity for denying negotiations while seeking them privately. He also asserted that the United States maintained control over access through the Strait of Hormuz until a deal or “total surrender” was reached.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei rejected reports of direct or indirect negotiations with Washington, insisting Tehran was not engaged in bilateral talks.

He explained that an understanding with Oman on a new maritime traffic route was merely a technical arrangement for safe vessel movement and did not signal the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

Separately, Trump signed an Executive Order establishing the Presidential Military Spouse Commission, highlighting the importance of strengthening support for military families. He described the initiative as a major step to recognise and assist spouses of service members, thanking those present for their contribution to the armed forces.

ANI