Iran negotiations resumed in Doha on Wednesday, with President Donald Trump telling reporters that U.S. and Iranian officials had held “very good meetings” as talks continued through Qatari and Pakistani mediators.
“The denuclearization of Iran is moving along well,” Trump said at Joint Base Andrews. “They’ve had very good meetings, and we’ll see.”
The talks are indirect. U.S. and Iranian officials are not meeting face to face, and mediators are carrying points between the sides under the memorandum of understanding previously signed by Washington and Tehran.
Iran Negotiations Resume In Doha
The United States and Iran held indirect technical talks in Doha on Wednesday as negotiators sought agreement on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and a lasting ceasefire, Reuters reported, citing a source with direct knowledge and an Iranian official.
The talks are based on a 14-point interim accord signed last month after a war that began with U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran in February. The accord was meant to halt hostilities, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and establish a 60-day negotiating period for a permanent peace deal.
Reuters reported that the current round began Tuesday night and continued Wednesday, with Qatar and Pakistan mediating. Iran’s priorities include management of the Strait of Hormuz and the release of $6 billion in frozen assets, while the U.S. priority is the free flow of traffic through the waterway.
Trump Envoys Met Qatar’s Prime Minister
Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy, and Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law, met Tuesday with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, Qatar’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said.
The ministry said the meeting reviewed the latest developments in U.S.-Iran talks under the memorandum of understanding and Qatar’s efforts to support regional security through dialogue and diplomacy.
The same statement said the meeting also covered the ceasefire in Lebanon. Qatar said it would continue mediation efforts, while the U.S. envoys expressed appreciation for Qatar’s role alongside Pakistan in facilitating the talks.
No Direct U.S.-Iran Meeting Confirmed
Iran has disputed Trump’s earlier suggestion that direct talks would take place. Al Jazeera reported that Iran said it would send a delegation to Doha to follow up on the implementation of the memorandum, but Iranian officials would not meet U.S. counterparts.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said there would be no negotiation meetings with the American side “at any level” in the coming days, and that the visit by U.S. representatives to Qatar was separate from the Iranian delegation’s visit.
CBS News reported that U.S. envoys Witkoff and Kushner met with Qatar’s prime minister but were not attending Wednesday’s technical talks.
Hormuz And Frozen Assets At Center Of Talks
The Strait of Hormuz remains a central issue in the negotiations. Reuters reported that Iran is seeking international recognition of its role in controlling the strait and its ability to levy fees on ships entering or leaving the Gulf.
Traffic has partially resumed through the waterway, which handled one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas trade before the war, Reuters reported.
CBS News reported that a senior Iranian official said the talks were focused on the release of Tehran’s frozen assets and the Strait of Hormuz. The outlet also reported that Tehran is seeking the unfreezing of $6 billion currently held in Qatari banks.
Vance Says U.S. Achieved Core Mission
Vice President JD Vance said Tuesday that the United States had “accomplished the core mission” of ensuring Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon, even if negotiations fail.
In a Fox News interview cited by CBS, Vance said the U.S. has “all the cards” in the negotiations. He said Washington wants the talks to succeed, but added that the U.S. is in a stronger position if Iran does not make concessions.
Trump said Wednesday that Iran had “come a long way” and that the United States was “getting along very well” with Tehran. Reuters reported there was no evidence that the nuclear issue had been discussed in the Doha technical talks at that stage.
