Officials from the United States and Iran will hold indirect technical talks in Doha on Wednesday, a diplomat with knowledge of the discussions told AFP. The talks focus on a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the Middle East war, building on progress made at the Lake Lucerne Summit.
Indirect Talks with Mediators
The diplomat stated that Qatari and Pakistani mediators will facilitate the indirect technical talks. US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff will not participate, though they met with Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani on Tuesday. Both Washington and Tehran had confirmed they would send officials for meetings in Qatar.
Memorandum of Understanding Details
The memorandum, brokered by Qatar and Pakistan, includes a 60-day ceasefire in the war that began with US-Israeli strikes on February 28. It also calls for the reopening of the blockaded Strait of Hormuz and establishes a timeframe for a final deal to end the war and reach an agreement on Iran’s nuclear program.
Tehran Denies Direct Talks
Iranian officials were set to travel to Doha on Wednesday, but Tehran denied an earlier claim by US President Donald Trump that there would be direct talks. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei confirmed the Iranian delegation would be led by Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi but said the officials “have no plans for negotiations with the American side at any level over the coming days.”
Kushner and Witkoff Meeting
Kushner and Witkoff met with the Qatari prime minister on Tuesday, according to the Gulf state’s foreign ministry. The trio discussed “the ongoing talks between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran within the framework of the memorandum of understanding,” the ministry said in a statement, adding that they also reviewed developments in Lebanon.
