An international relations expert says Donald Trump's messaging on Iran could be misleading.

The US President says he's holding off on threats to strike Iranian power plants for five days - after earlier promising to attack if Tehran didn't let ships through the Strait of Hormuz. 

He's claimed the US and Iran reached agreements in talks over the weekend, which Iran denies.

International relations expert Matthew Schmidt says there may have been talks, but not directly involving Trump or the new ayatollah.

"It's been cut-outs in between, and Trump is exaggerating what's going on and making it sound like it was more direct than it is."

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