US, Iran Teams Head to Doha Amid Talks Uncertainty
Iranian and U.S. negotiation teams were expected in Doha this week, but Iran stated on Monday that no meeting had been planned, as missile launches from both sides over the weekend tested the temporary ceasefire to conclude the four-month-long conflict.
U.S. President Donald Trump is deploying his son-in-law Jared Kushner and his representative Steve Witkoff to head the negotiation team, as stated by his press secretary Karoline Leavitt. As Iran dispatches its technical delegation to Qatar this week, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei stated this had "no connection" to the Americans' visit, and no discussions between the two parties were planned.
Baghaei states, "In the upcoming days, we will not engage in any negotiation meetings with the American side at any level."
The conflict over the possibility of a meeting highlighted the vulnerability of a June 17 agreement to suspend hostilities that has interrupted global oil shipments via the Strait of Hormuz and posed a political challenge for Trump before the November congressional elections.
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The U.S. and Iran allocated a minimum of 60 days to carry out the 14-point memorandum of understanding aimed at prolonging an April ceasefire, addressing Iran's nuclear program, and negotiating a lasting ceasefire. However, advancement has been slow, with both sides blaming one another for breaching the established agreements.
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Following the attacks by the U.S. and Israel on Iran on February 28, maritime activity in the Strait of Hormuz, the tight passage that once facilitated roughly one-fifth of the global oil trade, nearly halted.
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Israel has refrained from participating in the U.S.-Iran peace negotiations and has separated itself from the accord. Strains between Washington and Tehran have hindered attempts to resolve the fighting in Lebanon, where Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, a supporter of Iran-aligned Hezbollah, has questioned a separate, U.S.-facilitated deal between Lebanon and Israel intended to discontinue the conflict.