- Iran media report no US-Iran talks -

Iranian media reported that there were no negotiations between Tehran and Washington after US President Donald Trump announced progress in talks on ending the war.

"There are no talks between Tehran and Washington," said the Mehr news agency, citing Iran's foreign ministry, adding that Trump's statements were part of a push "to reduce energy prices".

Other media carried similar reports.

- Russia-Iran call -

Russia on Monday called for a "political and diplomatic" settlement to the Middle East war just as Trump claimed Washington and Tehran had held talks on ending the conflict.

In a call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Russia's top diplomat Sergei Lavrov urged an "immediate cessation of hostilities and a political settlement that takes into account the legitimate interests of all parties involved, above all Iran," the Russian foreign ministry said in a readout of the call.

- US-Iran talks -

Trump wrote on social media that Washington and Tehran have had "VERY GOOD AND PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS REGARDING A COMPLETE AND TOTAL RESOLUTION OF OUR HOSTILITIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST" over the past several days, adding that the contacts would continue during the week.

Trump said that he had ordered the US military to hold off on strikes on Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure, which he had threatened to carry out unless Tehran unblocked the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

Trump's comments sparked a sharp reversal on markets, with crude prices sinking as much as 14 percent after rising around one percent earlier in the day.

- Oman 'working' to open Hormuz -

Oman, which has mediated nuclear talks between the United States and Iran, said it was working on securing safe passage in the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has de facto blockaded.

"Oman is working intensively to put in place safe passage arrangements for the Strait of Hormuz," Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said in a statement on X, adding: "Whatever your view of Iran, this war is not of their making."

- Tehran explosions -

A series of strong explosions were heard in the Iranian capital, an AFP journalist said, as the war with the United States and Israel raged for its fourth week.

It was not immediately what was targeted, but the blasts were felt in central Tehran, rattling the windows of buildings in the area, the journalist said.

- Aircraft carrier return -

The USS Gerald Ford, the world's largest aircraft carrier, which has played a key role in the Middle East war, has returned to a base in Crete, according to an AFP journalist.

The vessel, which took on food, fuel and ammunition at Souda Bay in February, reported a laundry fire on March 12 which injured two crew members.

- 'Goodbye to electricity' -

Iran's state media published infographics of power plants in the region that its forces could target, in response to Trump's threat to "obliterate" Iran's electricity plants if it didn't reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours.

One infographic was titled "Say goodbye to electricity!" and showed potential targets in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait. Other maps showed Orot Rabin and Rutenberg, Israel's two largest power plants.

- Friendly fire -

The Israeli military confirmed that its own artillery fire had killed an Israeli civilian on the northern border on Sunday, where Hezbollah had claimed an attack and that "several severe issues and operational errors took place during the incident, including both the planning and execution of the fire".

Israeli emergency workers had initially said that a man was killed in a "direct hit" on his car by a rocket from Lebanon, making him the first fatality in the country's north since the latest round of fighting with Hezbollah broke out.

- Naval mines -

Iran's defence council said in a statement that it would mine "all access routes and communications lines in the Persian Gulf and coastal areas" -- including deploying "drifting mines deployable from the coasts" if its coastlines or islands were attacked.

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