Iran said no talks are underway after President Donald Trump announced that negotiations would take place Monday afternoon, according to multiple news outlets.
Trump said in anAug. 1 Truth Social post that Iran had asked the United States to hold off on attacks. However, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Monday, Aug. 3, that Iran is not currently holding talks with the United States and that the situation will remain unchanged as long as U.S. “aggression” continues, Reuters reported.
"We have just been asked by Iran, and other Middle Eastern Countries, to hold off any attack in that the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to," Trump posted on Aug. 1. "This would include the Immediate, Complete, and Total OPENING OF THE
HORMUZ STRAIT, and an end to Iran’s nuclear threat. Based on this request, I have agreed, for the future benefit of the WORLD and, likewise, the survival of a successful and prosperous Iran, to cancel the attack, subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL.
Meanwhile, oil prices fell after Trump announced that he would call off attacks on Iran, even as Iranian officials insisted that no talks were underway.
Oil price today
Brent crude futures, the global oil benchmark, fell 4.2% just before 3 a.m. MT/ 4 a.m. CT to trade at $84 a barrel. WTI, the U.S. benchmark, was down 5% to $80 a barrel, reported CNN.
Gas prices today
According to AAA, the average price of a regular gallon of gas is $4.0950 as of Monday, Aug. 3. A month ago, the average cost of a gallon of fuel was $3.8230.
Why are we at war with Iran?
The United States and Israelbegan striking Iran on Feb. 28 during the campaign called "Epic Fury" hitting more than 1,000 targets inside the country. Iran has responded with a wave of retaliatory strikes across the Middle East, including targeting countries hosting U.S. military bases like Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.
The joint U.S.-Israeli military operation in Iran targeted the country's leadership in an effort to topple the regime, ,led by the nation's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the highest authority in Iran's regime and a guardian of its rigid theocratic and social doctrine for 36 years.
Both Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said their main objectives were to defend their respective countries from threats posed by Iran and, most notably, to prevent the Islamic regime from acquiring a nuclear weapon, without providing any evidence that it was any closer to obtaining one, reported CNN.
USA TODAY contributed to this story.
Natassia Paloma may be reached at npaloma@gannett.com, @NatassiaPaloma on X, natassia_paloma on Instagram, and Natassia Paloma on Facebook.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Iran war latest: Oil prices drop as Iran rejects Trump’s claim of talks
