President Donald Trump says the United States expects another round of indirect negotiations with Iran as soon as Monday, even after he rejected Tehran’s latest proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the war. The new Trump Iran talks would reopen a diplomatic channel that appeared to be narrowing over the weekend, but the two sides remain far apart over the naval blockade, nuclear concessions and the terms for restoring normal shipping.
Trump said Sunday that he expects more talks with Iran this week, while regional mediators said another round of indirect discussions could begin as early as Monday. The development materially updates American News Brief’s coverage of Trump’s rejection of Iran’s seven-day Hormuz proposal because diplomacy is continuing despite that rejection.
Trump Iran Talks Could Resume as Soon as Monday
Trump told Axios that Iran still wants an agreement but that the proposal Tehran put forward is not one he is prepared to accept. Qatar and other regional governments are trying to keep the negotiating channel alive, and two regional sources told the outlet that another round of indirect dialogue may start Monday.
The expected talks would not necessarily involve a face-to-face meeting between U.S. and Iranian officials. Recent diplomacy has relied heavily on intermediaries, with messages moving through Qatar and other regional actors while U.S. envoys and Iranian officials negotiate separate but linked issues.
The White House has not announced a formal negotiating schedule, and Tehran has not publicly confirmed the exact timing. That means Monday remains a possible start date rather than a guaranteed meeting.
Hormuz and the Naval Blockade Remain Central
Iran wants the Strait of Hormuz and the U.S. naval blockade to remain at the center of negotiations. Tehran’s latest proposal offered to reopen the strait within seven days if Washington reduced military pressure, lifted the blockade and addressed sanctions and other economic demands.
Trump rejected that framework over the weekend, saying the terms were not acceptable. The administration has argued that Iran’s economic weakness gives Washington leverage and has resisted any agreement that would restore Iranian oil exports without broader concessions.
The strait remains a critical global energy chokepoint, and disruption there has contributed to high oil and fuel prices. Any agreement that reliably increases tanker traffic could ease pressure on energy markets, while renewed military action could quickly reverse those gains.
Washington Is Still Demanding Nuclear Concessions
The most difficult gap is that Washington is seeking more than a shipping arrangement. U.S. officials have said Iran must accept nuclear restrictions that prevent it from obtaining a weapon, while Iranian leaders continue to argue that the conflict cannot be resolved through military pressure alone.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States remains open to discussions that can produce a constructive result on Iran’s nuclear program. That position means even a deal on Hormuz would likely be only one part of a broader settlement.
Iran has denied that it seeks a nuclear weapon and insists that its program is peaceful, but U.S. officials remain focused on enrichment capacity, stockpiles and verification. Those disputes have survived multiple rounds of talks, ceasefires and military escalations.
Trump Keeps Military Strikes on the Table
Trump said Sunday that he continues to think about renewed military action even as negotiations move forward. That dual-track approach has become a recurring feature of U.S. policy toward Iran: diplomacy proceeds under the threat that strikes could resume if Washington concludes talks are failing.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded that Tehran remains ready for diplomacy but is also prepared if fighting restarts. The competing messages underline the fragility of any new negotiating round because neither government is entering the talks after a durable ceasefire or a broad political compromise.
Military pressure can create leverage, but it also increases the risk that an incident at sea or a strike on regional infrastructure derails negotiations before negotiators can test a new proposal. That danger is especially acute around Hormuz, where commercial shipping and military operations operate in close proximity.
More Oil Has Been Moving Through Hormuz
Trump said the United States facilitated a major increase in oil flows through the strait over the weekend. Axios reported that a U.S. defense official confirmed that roughly 22 million barrels were exported through Hormuz on Friday night, a notable increase from the restricted flows seen earlier in the war.
Higher transit volumes can reduce some immediate market pressure, but the sustainability of those flows depends on security conditions. Shipping companies, insurers and oil traders will continue to watch for mines, drone attacks, naval confrontations and changes in the blockade.
A negotiated mechanism for stable passage would therefore have economic value even if the broader political settlement takes longer. The key question is whether the United States and Iran can separate immediate maritime arrangements from the harder disputes over sanctions and the nuclear program.
Monday Talks Would Test Whether Diplomacy Still Has Room
The possible Monday round gives both sides another chance to narrow their differences without immediately escalating the war. Iran has an incentive to restore oil exports and reduce pressure on its economy, while the United States has an interest in keeping energy flows moving and avoiding additional military costs.
At the same time, the Trump administration does not want to accept an agreement it believes simply restores the prewar status quo. Tehran likewise does not want to surrender its core negotiating leverage by opening Hormuz while the blockade and sanctions remain in place.
The new Trump Iran talks therefore begin from a difficult position. Diplomacy is still alive, but a deal will require movement on issues that neither government was prepared to concede over the weekend.
