Trump blasts ‘duplicitous’ Iran after Tehran denies it is in talks with the US

US president demands ‘Total Surrender’ amid escalating naval blockade in the crucial Strait of Hormuz.United States President Donald Trump has described Iran’s leadership as “unbelievably duplicitous”, saying Tehran asked for talks to end the war and then announced that no discussions were being held.In a post on his social media platform Truth Social on Monday, Trump claimed that Iran had backtracked, saying “they’re only dealing with ‘Oman.’ They then go on to give their usual blather in saying, the Strait of Hormuz will be operated powerfully by them”.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Trump pauses ‘massive attack’ on Iran, says new talks to beginlist 2 of 3‘US backs off from Iran before markets open on weekdays’list 3 of 3Trump says new Iran negotiations starting: What we knowend of listTrump also warned that the US will continue to blockade Iran’s southern ports until Washington and Tehran agree to a deal to end the war, which began in February.Describing the US blockade in the Strait of Hormuz as a “Wall of Steel”, Trump said, “Nothing gets through to Iran, ⁠⁠unless we ⁠⁠want it to, and nothing will get ⁠⁠through, unless a ⁠⁠Deal, or ⁠⁠Total Surrender, is accomplished”.New talks to wind down the war had been expected to start on Monday, after Trump announced over the weekend that the US would not go ahead with another massive bombing campaign he had threatened to unleash on Iran.Trump said a plan had been in place for US forces to carry out “the biggest attack since World War II”, but he decided to give diplomacy more time after hearing from key Gulf allies Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, as well as unnamed Iranian officials on Sunday.Iran’s Foreign Ministry said Tehran was pursuing multiple diplomatic tracks and that it was not currently holding direct negotiations with the United States.