TEHRAN, AUG 9: Iran and the US are not engaged in talks and Tehran will not start them as long as Washington breaches an interim deal signed in June, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday, adding that messages are being exchanged via intermediaries.

Araghchi repeated Iran’s position that an agreement on the Strait of Hormuz between Tehran and Muscat was in the “final stages” but would not reopen the strategic waterway.

In comments reported by Mehr news agency, he said the agreement would set out the new shipping lanes to be used once the US fulfils other conditions and thstrait is reopened to traffic.