U.S. and Iran Engage in Indirect Talks in Qatar

Representatives from the United States and Iran conducted indirect “technical talks” in Doha, Qatar, on Wednesday. These discussions reportedly focused on the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, following a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed in June.

Sources from Iran indicated that Tehran aims for international acknowledgment of its right to control the strait and collect fees from commercial vessels.

The discussions were indirect, with U.S. and Iranian negotiators relaying messages through intermediaries instead of engaging directly with each other.

The White House revealed that President Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner were set to visit Doha for talks. However, Iran’s representative declined to participate. As a result, the “technical talks” the White House had promoted as side events were the sole discussions that took place.

Witkoff and Kushner met with Qatari foreign ministry officials. An announcement later confirmed that there were no planned discussions between the U.S. and Iranian representatives.

A spokesperson for Qatar’s foreign ministry mentioned that discussions would encompass various regional concerns, including negotiations with Iran, as well as issues related to Lebanon and others. However, they clarified that direct negotiations with Iran were not on the agenda, stating, “To my knowledge, there are no direct talks scheduled between the two parties in the coming days.”

A Trump administration official noted that there had been “very positive conversations” between Witkoff, Kushner, and regional leaders, and described good progress in the technical discussions.

President Trump expressed to reporters that Iran’s denuclearization is reportedly making significant strides. He mentioned, “The two countries have had very good talks, and we’ll see.” He added, “We hit them very hard, but we get along very well.”

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmail Bakuei claimed that “no meetings” were planned with the U.S. side at any level soon. He emphasized that Iran’s main goal in the “technical talks” was to ensure the U.S. follows through on the benefits outlined in the MOU, particularly regarding the unfreezing of Iranian assets in Qatar. Bakuei mentioned that a team of Iranian financial experts would meet with the Qatari side to discuss fund recovery.

Furthermore, Bakuei indicated that Iran “will not enter a new phase of negotiations” until it feels satisfied with the full and sustained implementation of commitments from the other party.

Two senior Iranian officials stated that Iran is intent on obtaining international recognition for controlling the Strait of Hormuz and imposing fees on ships entering and exiting the Gulf, even if it requires forceful measures to achieve this goal.

They added that Iran interprets the MOU as granting it control over which vessels pass through the strait and their routes. Negotiations related to other matters are contingent upon U.S. acceptance of this interpretation.

One senior official remarked that Iran does not plan to revert to the pre-war status quo but instead seeks new arrangements governing Hormuz. This includes regulating ship entry and exit to the strait, exercising the right to deny access to ships deemed a threat, and charging for necessary services provided by Iran.

Both officials emphasized that Iran is prepared to enforce its demands on the strait through force if necessary, dismissing concerns about further military action from the U.S. They see this as a “historic opportunity” to secure a long-term strategic advantage.

Moreover, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi noted that Iran is ready to act against the U.S. and Israel if their demands, especially for Israel to withdraw from Lebanon, are not met.

In response to remarks from Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz about being ready for conflict, Araghchi indicated that if Iran were to retaliate against Israel, it would not be accepted. Katz asserted that any missile launch into Israeli territory would provoke a firm response.

Katz further elaborated on Israel’s military readiness for “a black-and-white operation” against Iran, emphasizing that they are preparing for potential conflict without relying on external partners.