Iran has rejected US President Donald Trump’s repeated claims that Tehran was looking for fresh negotiations with Washington, saying it has no plans for negotiations and remains focused on defending itself as American military strikes continue near the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei also said Tehran no longer considers itself bound by the June 17 memorandum of understanding (MoU), accusing the United States of violating the agreement from the outset.
Baghaei dismissed Trump’s assertion that Iran had approached the United States to negotiate a new deal, stating that no such contact had taken place. “We currently have no plans for negotiations and are focused on defence,” Baghaei said, according to Iranian state media.
His remarks came after Trump claimed that US negotiators had contacted Iranian representatives and that Tehran wanted to “settle so badly” by returning to the negotiating table. However, Iranian officials have consistently denied those claims over the past few days, maintaining that the country is not pursuing negotiations with Washington at this stage.
Baghaei accused the United States of breaching the June 17 memorandum of understanding, under which both countries had agreed to halt military operations and refrain from using force against one another.
According to the Iranian spokesperson, Tehran no longer considers itself obligated to implement the agreement as long as Washington continues to violate its commitments. He warned that Iran would respond proportionately to any further violations.
“The other side has violated its commitments and broken its promises from the outset of the memorandum of understanding, and the Islamic Republic will respond proportionately both in the field and in implementing its commitments,” Baghaei said.
Iran’s senior negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf echoed the government’s position, saying a memorandum only remains meaningful if both parties continue to honour its provisions. “If Iran is not to derive any benefit from the memorandum of understanding, we have no reason to adhere,” he said.
US carries out fresh strikes near Strait of Hormuz
The latest diplomatic exchange came as the United States launched another wave of military strikes targeting what it described as Iranian military assets used to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. According to US Central Command, the operation was intended to weaken Iran’s military capabilities in the strategically important maritime corridor.
The US military also said one of its aircraft disabled an empty oil tanker that was allegedly attempting to breach the naval blockade of Iranian ports.
Iranian state media reported explosions in several locations, including Bandar Abbas, Rask and Chabahar. Reports also mentioned strikes near Qeshm, Bandar Imam Khomeini and later Bushehr, which houses Iran’s only civilian nuclear power plant.
Despite the renewed military escalation, formal mediation efforts between Washington and Tehran have not been officially terminated.