Iran confirmed on Monday that it is still fully capable of protecting the Strait of Hormuz, saying there is no need for foreign intervention in the strategic waterway, while denying reports of imminent direct talks with the United States.Speaking at his weekly press briefing, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said Tehran is “fully aware of its responsibilities regarding the security of the Strait of Hormuz” and “sees no need for intervention by other countries,” warning that external intervention “will only complicate issues,” Iranian state media Wana reported.Baghaei also stressed Tehran’s position, saying: “Tehran is determined to preserve its right to manage the Strait of Hormuz,” Reuters reported.Baghaei’s statements came after conflicting statements from Tehran and Washington regarding the possibility of direct communication between the two countries. While US President Donald Trump said that Iran had requested a meeting and that delegations were expected to meet in Doha on Tuesday, Tehran denied agreeing to hold any talks with US officials.Iranian officials said that their delegation will travel to Qatar only to discuss the implementation of the temporary agreement with Qatari mediators, without direct American participation.
“Dialogue with mediator Qatar on implementing the interim agreement with the United States, including the release of frozen assets.” [is] “It is likely to be on Wednesday in Doha.”He also stressed “the necessity of implementing the terms of the interim agreement before starting talks with the United States to reach a final agreement,” noting that progress on the current agreement is a prerequisite for any broader negotiations.Regarding regional diplomacy, Baghaei said that Iran has not received any information about a proposed dialogue forum that includes the Arab Gulf states in Riyadh. He also clarified that communications between Tehran and Washington continue through political, not military, channels, according to Reuters.
