Uncertainty over the next round of negotiations between the United States and Iran, coupled with both sides trading strikes across the Persian Gulf in the recent days, has shrouded the interim deal signed by the countries earlier this month.
Washington and Tehran on Monday separately announced sending delegations to Qatar this week, with the US saying Iran had sought out the meeting. However, Iran denied any negotiations with the US “in the upcoming days” and said the next talks would depend on the implementation of the 14-point memorandum of understanding signed by both sides.
This comes after a military escalation between both nations involving exchange of fire over highly sensitive e maritime incidents in the Strait of Hormuz.
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US says Witkoff en-route to Doha, Iran claims no connection with their trip
US President Donald Trump on Monday said Iran had requested a meeting with US counterparts and that the talks had been planned on Tuesday in Qatar’s Capital Doha. “Iran has requested a meeting. It will take place tomorrow in Doha!” he said in a post on Truth Social.
Following Trump’s announcement, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt also told Fox News that special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the US President’s son-in-law, were headed to Qatar.
“There’ll be a meeting on that tomorrow in Doha… we’ll see how that goes. But we’re doing very well on that front. The meeting in Doha is going to be perhaps important, perhaps not; we’re going to find out,” Trump said, according to ANI.
However, in contrast to the American statements, Iran has firmly denied any engagements with the US. While the country’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei confirmed the delegation’s trip to Qatar, he clarified that it was entirely unrelated to the arrival of the American officials.
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“The fact that US representatives are travelling to Qatar has no connection with the trip of the Iranian delegation, which is being undertaken to follow up on the implementation of the provisions of the memorandum of understanding, including Article 11,” ANI cited Baghaei as saying, according to Fars news agency. Baghaei further said that the formal negotiations for the final agreement would only begin after the implementation of the MoU.
“We have not yet entered the negotiation phase for the final agreement. According to Article 13 of the MoU, the start of negotiations for the final agreement is contingent upon the initiation of the implementation of Articles 1, 4, 5, 10, and 11, and the continuation of their implementation,” he said.
Iran’s deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs, Kazem Gharibabadi, said the next round of negotations would only be held after “conditions are in place” and an agreement on the date and location would be reached.
