US envoys meet mediators in Qatar, direct talks with Iran uncertain
US envoys met with Qatari mediators in Doha on Tuesday to discuss negotiations with Iran, but no direct talks between the two countries are planned. The Iranian delegation is set to meet mediators on Wednesday, focusing on the Strait of Hormuz and frozen assets.
US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday to meet with mediators and discuss further negotiations with Iran. Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari confirmed their presence but emphasized that the meetings were not intended for direct talks with Iran. According to him, the US envoys discussed regional issues, including potential negotiations with Iran and the situation in Lebanon.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei confirmed that an Iranian delegation, led by Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, will hold its first meeting with mediators in Doha on Wednesday. The two sides have yet to agree on direct talks, and Qatari officials stated that such meetings are not planned.
One of the key issues is the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. The US-Iran agreement envisions restoring maritime traffic through this strategically important waterway. Traffic decreased on Saturday after an attack on a vessel. Iran has also held talks with Oman regarding the future management of vessels transiting the strait.
Another crucial issue is Iran's frozen assets. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Monday that steps are being taken to release $6 billion of the $12 billion in frozen funds. Baqaei noted that talks with Qatar would address this matter specifically.
Since the signing of the US-Iran deal, sporadic clashes have occurred in the region, but the situation has calmed in recent days. On Sunday, US Central Command said it struck 10 Iranian military targets, and Iran retaliated with attacks on US bases in Kuwait and Bahrain. Gharibabadi said in a televised interview that after such a large-scale conflict, implementation challenges and differences of opinion are inevitable.
On the Lebanon front, fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has been relatively quiet in recent days. Iran insists that any deal must include an end to hostilities in Lebanon and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon.
