TEHRAN — Iran's foreign ministry on Monday said it was not currently involved in negotiations with the United States, despite a halt in recent fighting between the two sides.

 

"Mediators may convey messages from the American side to us regarding current developments in the region. But at present, we are not engaged in any negotiations with the United States," ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said at a weekly press briefing.

 

"Claims that Iran has requested negotiations are fabrications that the other side circulates from time to time," he added.

 

Hostilities resumed between Iran and the United States earlier this month after diplomatic efforts collapsed amid an impasse regarding the Strait of Hormuz.

 

Fighting has nonetheless paused since early Saturday, following 13 days of exchanges of fire between the two sides.

 

Baqaei criticised the United States, saying its conduct in recent years has "resembled that of a mafia gang that adheres to no rules or laws".

 

"So long as such behaviour by the United States continues, we cannot be hopeful about the emergence of a reasonable process," he added.

 

Iran insists on retaining control over the management of the Strait of Hormuz, including the collection of service fees, while keeping Oman involved as a coastal state.

 

Iran's Revolutionary Guards have turned back multiple vessels in recent days, including six earlier on Monday, that attempted to transit the strait outside the route designated by the Islamic republic.

 

On Monday, Baqaei reiterated that Washington had nothing to do with recent talks with Oman over the administration of the Strait of Hormuz.

 

"These talks have no connection with the United States. They are a bilateral matter between Iran and Oman, and they are continuing," Baqaei said, adding that the waterway "remains closed".

 

Iran and the United States held their fire Sunday, handing Gulf shipping and the oil industry a respite from missile strikes as Donald Trump's UN envoy said the president was "giving talks some space".

 

Iran said it had halted retaliatory attacks against Washington's allies in the Middle East, and US ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz told "Fox News Sunday" that, while forces remained "locked and loaded", Trump would give negotiations "a little bit of room".

 

Prior to Friday, the US military had carried out strikes on Iran for 13 consecutive nights, in the largest rekindling of the almost five-month-old war since an April ceasefire. Friday and Saturday nights passed without bombing.

 

"These attacks continued until two nights ago, but over the past two nights the Americans have stopped their attacks," said Iran's army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia.

 

"Since... our strategy has essentially been retaliatory, we have also halted our retaliatory operations."

 

Fighting over the strategic Strait of Hormuz derailed diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran, but the conflict then expanded beyond the vital energy corridor to include attacks on US bases, regional shipping and Gulf allies.

 

Unconfirmed Iranian media reports on Sunday said an oil tanker had been damaged by a sea mine.

 

'One way or the other'

 

The lull has revived hopes of a return to negotiations, although American media reported the pause could also reflect pressure on US stockpiles of Patriot interceptors and other defensive weapons.

 

Waltz dismissed this idea, in a second interview with NBC News' "Meet the Press".

 

"I want to be crystal clear. The US military -- and I've verified this every which way -- has everything that it needs to conduct this campaign as effectively as it needs to be," he insisted.

 

Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is due at the White House on Tuesday, and is expected to urge Trump to continue to take a tough line on Tehran, in particular on its nuclear programme.

 

Iran has long insisted the programme is for civilian purposes but the US and its allies allege it is aimed at developing a weapon.

 

Also speaking to Fox News, Netanyahu said he fully backed Trump's efforts to shut down Iran's nuclear programme.

 

"If he can do so without returning to intense military fighting, that's fine. Why not? But one way or the other, they have to end their nuclear programme, and with a deal or without a deal, that has to come to an end," he said.

 

Plans to escalate the US campaign have been shelved in part because of shrinking munitions supplies, The New York Times reported, citing two people briefed on the matter.