US-Iran talks in Doha: What were the outcomes and what’s next?
Qatar said that the next meeting will take place after funeral processions for Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Iran and the United States concluded
Qatar said that the next meeting will take place after funeral processions for Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Iran and the United States concluded a round of indirect technical talks on Wednesday with no sign they had made headway towards a lasting peace. Instead, the two countries focused on issues that they said had been resolved when an interim agreement was announced two weeks ago. The indirect talks followed days of tit-for-tat military attacks by the US and Iran amid a dispute over shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz. Who participated in these talks? In Doha on Wednesday, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani met US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and reaffirmed Qatar’s continued mediation efforts, alongside Pakistan, to end the war in the Middle East. Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, headed the country’s technical team in the talks. Iran’s top negotiators, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, did not attend the talks.
What did the two sides agree on? While neither side commented on whether they had managed to bridge any of their differences during the talks, Gharibabadi told Iranian media that two meetings were held. The first meeting addressed the US’s “violations of its obligations”, Gharibabadi said, adding that the sides decided to establish a communication channel to resolve disputes. The second meeting addressed the release of $6bn in frozen Iranian funds. “During the meetings with Qatari officials, including the Central Bank, a number of issues related to the expenditure of part of the initial $6bn were reviewed,” Gharibabadi said. “It was agreed that, based on the needs communicated by our country, the required goods would be purchased and made available to Iran.” What about the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear programme? US Vice President JD Vance said discussions were held on the Strait of Hormuz, while informed sources said Tehran’s nuclear programme, its frozen funds and the conflict in Lebanon were also on the table.
Based on shipping data, commercial traffic through the strait appears to be rebounding. According to data from Kpler, commercial ship movements through the Strait of Hormuz rose by more than 50 percent in the week of June 22–28, compared with the previous week. On Thursday, Ghalibaf denied reports that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) had access to the Iranian nuclear sites bombed during the 12-day war last year, namely, Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. The IRIB broadcaster quoted him as saying: “Currently, inspectors only have access to two locations: Bushehr power plant and Tehran reactor.” Ghalibaf added that the parliament had passed a law barring such access. “Parliament itself passed the law, and the Supreme Security Council has also adopted a corresponding resolution.” Ghalibaf’s comments came after IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said the agency’s inspectors will “have to have access and inspect” Iran’s nuclear sites under the Iran-US memorandum of understanding (MoU). What’s next? Qatar has said that Iranian and US negotiators had made “positive progress” during the technical talks in Doha.
The BriefWire