Iran says no deal with Trump, vows to wait out US president’s term

Tehran: Tensions between Iran and the United States remained high on Monday, August 10, with disagreements continuing over negotiations, the US naval blockade and the reopening of the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.

Majid Shakeri, an adviser to Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, said Tehran did not expect to reach an agreement with US President Donald Trump and would continue dealing with his administration until his term ends in January 2029.

“Trump will not reach an agreement with us. We will accompany him until his term ends,” Shakeri said in remarks shared on social media.

He said Iran’s strategy should focus neither on war nor a formal agreement, but on managing the situation between the two countries. He described “strategic patience” as the approach Tehran should maintain.

The comments reflect the hardline position within sections of Iran’s leadership as diplomatic tensions with Washington remain elevated.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran would not reopen the Strait of Hormuz as long as the US naval blockade remained in place.

Iran has also called for an end to hostilities and compensation for damage it attributes to the US-Israel war.

Baghaei said the closure was a consequence of what Tehran describes as US and Israeli aggression and urged Washington to stop and reverse what he called its “destructive actions”.

He also described the US blockade as an “act of aggression”, referring to a UN resolution.

The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and is a crucial route for global energy supplies. Continued restrictions on shipping through the waterway have disrupted commercial traffic and added pressure to international oil markets.

Despite the wider standoff, Baghaei said talks with Oman on maritime transit through the Strait of Hormuz were progressing “smoothly and constructively”.

He said Tehran and Muscat had agreed on a framework for a shipping traffic map, while technical consultations were continuing on a joint statement.

The proposed arrangements would cover safe navigation, environmental protection and measures to tackle maritime crimes. Baghaei added that vessels using maritime services would be required to pay applicable costs and fees.

He stressed that the discussions with Oman were bilateral and technical and were aimed at establishing a secure route for international shipping rather than resolving political disputes.

The main objective, he said, was to develop a long-term arrangement guaranteeing security in the waterway.

Baghaei said ties between Iran and Pakistan had become “even more important than before” since the war began, describing Islamabad as an important mediator.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Qalibaf have been invited to Islamabad for discussions. Baghaei said they would travel to Pakistan at an appropriate time but did not announce a date.

He described the exchange of visits between the two neighbouring countries as a natural outcome of their strengthening relationship.

Baghaei also said Iran did not view the recently signed security agreement involving Pakistan, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia as a move directed against Tehran.

He said the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement reflected a growing regional understanding that the US could not guarantee security and had itself contributed to insecurity in the Middle East.

According to Baghaei, regional countries were increasingly seeking security arrangements based on their own geopolitical and historical circumstances instead of depending solely on Washington.

He added that Iran would not resume talks with the US while Washington continued to “violate the interim deal”.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran would find new ways to overcome its challenges despite what he called an “enemy’s siege”, Al Jazeera reported.

Pezeshkian said Iranian officials were working continuously to resolve the country’s problems and disclosed that he had held a seven-hour meeting with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.

The discussions focused on issues including sanctions, resilience and domestic unity.

Pezeshkian said Khamenei had stressed the importance of unity and harmony and warned that Iran’s adversaries were attempting to create divisions within the country.

Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei appointed former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Mohsen Rezaei as his representative to the Supreme National Security Council and named him secretary of the council.

The body serves as Iran’s highest national security authority.

Rezaei headed the Revolutionary Guards from 1981 to 1997, covering much of the Iran-Iraq war. He later held senior political positions and served as a military adviser to the supreme leader.

He has previously commented on Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz, which has become one of the main flashpoints in the confrontation with Washington.

The United States has intensified its naval blockade of Iran under operations led by US Central Command (CENTCOM), with more than 20 warships deployed in the Middle East.

CENTCOM said on August 9 that its forces had diverted 55 commercial vessels, disabled two and inspected two others as part of efforts to enforce US sanctions and the embargo on Iran.

The operations have added to pressure on commercial shipping as Tehran continues to insist that the blockade must be lifted before the Strait of Hormuz can be reopened.

US President Donald Trump posted a graph on Truth Social showing the decline of the Iranian rial against the US dollar.

Commenting on the currency’s fall, Trump wrote: “51 years of bad behaviour. Iran has no money.”

His comments came as Iran faces increased economic pressure from sanctions, the war and disruption to trade through the Strait of Hormuz.

Meanwhile, Oman is attempting to contain an oil spill off its southern coast after a tanker ran aground in June inside a protected marine area.

The Oman Environment Authority said the spill had affected around 390 square kilometres, with the oil concentrated near the Hallaniyat archipelago.

The region includes fragile marine ecosystems, coral reefs, turtle nesting sites and other ecologically significant coastal habitats.

Omani authorities have conducted aerial surveillance and deployed divers to assess the situation. Officials are also preparing to transfer the vessel’s oil cargo to limit environmental damage, maintain navigational safety and prevent further risks.

The spill has raised concerns over biodiversity in the protected area, particularly its rare sea turtle population.