Doha witnessed the start of indirect technical talks on Wednesday between U.S. and Iranian officials through mediators, as part of diplomatic efforts aimed at easing tensions following recent exchanges of military strikes.
Since mid-June, Washington and Tehran have been engaged in negotiations scheduled to last 60 days, with the possibility of extension, under a memorandum of understanding reached on June 17 through Pakistani and Qatari mediation. The agreement seeks to end the conflict that erupted following a U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran on February 28.
After both sides exchanged attacks related to tensions over control of the Strait of Hormuz, the United States and Iran announced on Tuesday that they would send officials to Qatar for meetings aimed at implementing the memorandum’s provisions.
The agreement includes several key elements, notably:
* Ending hostilities on all fronts.
* Reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
* Lifting the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports.
* Releasing part of Iran’s frozen assets.
* Conducting negotiations aimed at reaching a final agreement within a renewable 60-day period.
A diplomat familiar with the negotiations told AFP, on condition of anonymity, that U.S. and Iranian officials were holding indirect technical discussions in Doha through Qatari and Pakistani intermediaries.
The diplomat said the low-level talks focus on the details of the memorandum of understanding and would build on progress achieved during the Lucerne Lake summit in Switzerland.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump praised the progress made in the negotiations, describing the meetings between the two sides as “very good.”
“Based on how things are going, Iran’s nuclear disarmament is progressing well. They have had very good meetings, and we will see what happens,” Trump said, adding, “We hit them very hard, but we are getting along very well.”
“Implementation Challenges”
According to the diplomat, U.S. envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff are not participating in the technical discussions.
The two officials met on Tuesday with Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani to discuss recent developments in the ongoing U.S.-Iran talks, according to a statement from Qatar’s Foreign Ministry.
The meeting also addressed the ceasefire in Lebanon and stressed the importance of preserving and building upon it in a manner that safeguards Lebanon’s unity, sovereignty, and stability.
In Tehran, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the Iranian delegation in Doha would be led by Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, while insisting that “no negotiating meetings with the United States will take place at any level.”
Despite the signing of the U.S.-Iran memorandum, tensions resurfaced late last week. Both sides accused each other of violating the ceasefire after attacks attributed to Iran targeted vessels attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz.
The United States subsequently launched strikes against military targets in Iran, while Tehran announced attacks on facilities associated with Washington in Kuwait and Bahrain.
Iran and Oman both claim authority over transit through the Strait of Hormuz and have indicated they are considering imposing service fees. However, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea guarantees freedom of navigation through international straits, although Iran has not ratified the treaty.
Despite U.S. opposition, Iran maintains that conditions in the strategically vital waterway will not return to the pre-war status quo, when passage was free of charge. Tehran has also warned that vessels using unauthorized routes could be targeted.
Iranian Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said in a televised interview that implementation difficulties were inevitable after a conflict of such magnitude.
“When a war of this scale ends, implementation challenges, incidents, and differences of opinion are unavoidable, especially when parties such as Israel are involved,” he said.
Ghalibaf added that the Iranian delegation would focus on implementing provisions related to Lebanon and the Strait of Hormuz, stressing that Iran remains committed to fulfilling the agreement while expecting the United States and its allies to honor their obligations as well.
He also noted that Iranian oil exports had increased significantly since the lifting of U.S. restrictions on Iranian ports.
Relative Calm
Anna Jacobs told AFP that it remains “very early” in the negotiation process, with battles continuing behind the scenes and in public discourse. Nevertheless, she said the positive overall message is that both sides continue to engage in dialogue despite last week’s clashes.
The attacks slowed maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend. Meanwhile, representatives of employers and labor unions in the global shipping industry announced Wednesday that the strait would remain classified as a war-risk zone until at least July 9.
Amid uncertainty about the region’s future, Brent crude oil prices remained stable on Wednesday at just above $70 per barrel.
In Lebanon—whose inclusion in the memorandum was strongly advocated by Iran—a relative calm continues to prevail in the confrontations between Israel and Hezbollah.
However, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday that Israeli forces would remain in security zones in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza “until further notice” to protect Israeli communities from militant threats.
“We will not withdraw from the security zones,” Katz said, warning Tehran that it would face powerful retaliation if it attacked Israeli forces operating in Lebanon.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated on Tuesday that Israeli troops would remain in Lebanon as long as Hezbollah continues to pose a threat to northern Israel.
AFP
