President Donald Trump said in the Oval Office that Iran has a “last chance” to reach an agreement with the United States, adding that he wants to allow negotiations time even after threatening military action.
Trump made the remarks during an event to sign an agreement, speaking about how many times he had paused or called off strikes after issuing threats. He said he did not know the number but argued that he wanted to give “every last chance” before what he described as “decapitation”.
The president said the first phase of a potential deal would involve the immediate opening of the Strait of Hormuz. He said the second phase, currently under discussion, would focus on Iran’s denuclearisation, but he added that it would come later and would take time.
He also suggested Iran’s position had been influenced by the threat of planned attacks reported for Sunday night. Trump said those strikes would have been “harder” than any attack since World War II.
Oval Office Remarks
Trump framed his comments as an opportunity for Iran to move toward a negotiated settlement, while also signalling that further escalation remained an option if talks failed.
His response to questions about whether he had repeatedly cancelled strikes followed his broader message that the United States was trying to reach an outcome while still leaving room for diplomacy.
Deal Phases and Strait of Hormuz
Trump described the proposed agreement as having two stages. In the first phase, he said the Strait of Hormuz would open immediately.
In the second phase, he said negotiators are focused on Iran’s denuclearisation. Trump did not set a specific timeline for that stage, but said it would take “a little while” before it could be completed.
Trump Accuses Iran of Duplicitous Statements
After his Oval Office remarks, Trump turned to social media, writing that Iranian leadership is being “unbelievably duplicitous” in how it speaks about negotiations with the United States.
In the post, he alleged that Iranian leaders “beg” for meetings, while publicly later stating they will not hold discussions. Trump said that, whether Iran acknowledges it or not, the two sides are talking about a solution to a problem he said Iran created “for decades”.
The comments followed Trump’s earlier claim that another round of negotiations would begin on Monday, despite Iran’s response.
Iran Says Talks With Oman Limited
Iranian officials said on Sunday and Monday that no negotiations with the United States were under way. Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baqaei, reiterated on Monday that talks involving Oman are focused only on the Strait of Hormuz.
Baqaei said that matters related to Iran and the United States should be reviewed in later stages to determine how the situation develops. Trump, in his social media message, said he was frustrated by Iran’s insistence that it is only dealing with Oman, and repeated his accusation that Iran is not speaking consistently about discussions.
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4 August 2026
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