Iran Rejects US Talks Unless Washington Meets Its Conditions

 Iran reiterated its rejection of negotiations with the US unless Washington meets conditions including resolving transit issues through the Strait of Hormuz and normalizing the Islamic Republic's oil exports.

The Iranian authorities want the US to implement "agreed-upon understandings" before any talks take place, the semi-official Fars news agency reported on Saturday, citing an informed source it didn't identify.

The comments came hours after the US demanded Iran publicly declare all channels of the Strait of Hormuz open to shipping and pledge not to attack civilian vessels transiting the waterway. Tehran will face consequences if it fails to deliver the public assurance, senior Trump administration officials told reporters on condition of anonymity.

The developments followed several nights of US airstrikes and Iranian retaliation that sent oil prices higher this week and raised doubts about further talks toward a broader peace deal. President Donald Trump on Friday said he considers the ceasefire agreed with Tehran in mid-June to be over.

The recent tensions, along with a US Treasury move to revoke a waiver allowing Iran to sell its oil globally, posed the biggest challenges yet to the truce. The US has blamed Iran for attacks on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz — the world's most vital energy conduit. Tehran responded to the latest wave of US strikes by hitting back at American bases in the region.

Despite the latest flare-up in tensions, the US officials said they expect expert-level discussions with Iran to continue. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi traveled to Oman on Saturday for talks on the future of Hormuz.

Trump also warned on Friday that the US military would "completely decimate" Iran if its leaders attempted or carried out his assassination, after it was reported this week that Israel had warned the US leader of a new Iranian plot.

The president's message came after the days-long funeral of former leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an attack as the US and Israel began their war on Iran at the end of February.