US President Donald Trump said on Monday Washington was in “very deep talks with Iran” and warned that he is ready for “strong military action” if diplomacy failed.

“Not much time. Either it goes fast or not at all,” Trump told Axios when asked how long he was willing to give for talks.

Meanwhile, 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.