Iranian and U.S. negotiating teams were due in Doha this week, but Iran said on Monday no meeting had been scheduled as weekend missile fire from both sides tested the interim ceasefire to end the four-month-old war.
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani has reaffirmed Doha’s role as a mediator in U.S.-Iran talks, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.
The ministry said Sheikh Mohammed made the comments during a meeting with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, where they discussed developments in the ongoing talks.
Iran's current meetings are aimed at implementing commitments under the memorandum of understanding (MoU), and the country will not enter further negotiations until the agreement's conditions are met, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said in an interview with state television on Tuesday.
The conditions include an end to hostilities in Lebanon, the lifting of the U.S. naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, 60 days of free and safe passage for commercial vessels, waivers allowing the export of Iranian crude oil, petroleum products and derivatives, and the release of frozen Iranian funds.
China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday called for maintaining the momentum of negotiations between the U.S. and Iran in a meeting in Beijing with his Saudi counterpart, state-run news agency Xinhua reported.
"The current ceasefire remains fragile, but talking is better than fighting, and dialogue is better than confrontation," said Wang, who added that Beijing is willing to work with Saudi Arabia to ease tensions in the region and promote lasting peace.
Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said discussions with mediator Qatar on implementing the interim agreement with the United States, including the release of frozen Iranian assets, are likely to take place in Doha on Wednesday.
Baghaei also said there was no need for outside involvement in the Strait of Hormuz, arguing that external interference would only complicate efforts to address issues in the strategic waterway.
U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner will travel to Doha this week for talks with Qatari mediators on U.S.-Iran negotiations, but Qatar says no high-level meeting between Washington and Tehran is planned.
Euro zone bond yields eased on Tuesday as oil prices hovered near four-month lows, with markets also watching potential U.S.-Iran talks, softer French inflation data, and the ECB's Sintra conference.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington and expressed support for the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding.
In a post on X, Wadephul described the agreement as an “important step” that offers a path for diplomacy amid a fragile regional situation.
He said efforts should now focus on securing a lasting solution that guarantees safe and unrestricted navigation through the Strait of Hormuz while ensuring Iran’s nuclear programme does not pose a future threat.
Iran’s foreign minister has discussed the memorandum of understanding and its implementation in a phone call with his French counterpart, according to Iranian state media.
Abbas Araghchi and Jean-Noel Barrot “reviewed and exchanged views on the latest regional and international developments” linked to the U.S.-Iran MoU.
The discussion follows criticism from Iran’s deputy foreign minister of remarks by French President Emmanuel Macron, who said Paris was cooperating with Oman on efforts related to demining the Strait of Hormuz.
MarineTraffic said vessel movements in the Strait of Hormuz continued over the weekend despite security concerns, including attacks on two ships on Friday and Saturday. It recorded 108 verified transits over three days.
Activity was highest on 26 June with 48 crossings, followed by 38 on 27 June and 22 on 28 June.
The figures show a decline from earlier levels, when 54 transits were recorded on Thursday and 70 on Wednesday, the highest since the U.S.-Israel war on Iran began.
Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan Al Thani received a phone call on Monday evening from Iran’s acting Defence Minister Majid Ibn Reza, according to the Qatari defence ministry.
“During the call, they reviewed the latest developments and security developments in the region, and discussed aspects of joint coordination amid the current circumstances,” according to the ministry.
Gulf states have remained on high alert in recent days following tit-for-tat strikes between Iran and the U.S. over tensions linked to the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington was making strong progress in its effort to denuclearise Iran and expressed cautious optimism ahead of talks in Doha.
"There'll be a meeting on that tomorrow in Doha... We'll see how that goes," Trump said, adding that the discussions could prove important, "or perhaps not."
He also said the U.S. had gained the upper hand militarily and reiterated that Washington's objective was to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Monday that Tehran will remain committed to the 18 June memorandum of understanding with the United States as long as Washington upholds its obligations.
“The understanding is a reciprocal matter. If the American side remains committed to the memorandum, we will also fulfil our commitments,” Pezeshkian said on X.
An unknown projectile struck a tanker 68 nautical miles northeast of Saudi Arabia on Friday according to a report released by the United Kingdom Ma...
Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy and water systems, combined with damaged homes and rising living costs, could force more people to flee t...
The AnewZ documentary “Counterpoint: Two Centuries of German-Azerbaijani Shared History” investigates the story of German settlers who ...
The U.S. has banned government employees working in Saudi Arabia from using airports in the country without special authorisation. It comes after a deadly Houthi strike on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport killed at least 13 people last week.
U.S. President Donald Trump has called it “a disgrace” that Ukraine has resumed attacks on Russian oil refineries. Attacks are continuing from Russia and Ukraine as media reports say Ukraine has almost run out of Patriot interceptor missiles.
An unknown projectile struck a tanker 68 nautical miles northeast of Saudi Arabia on Friday according to a report released by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) on Saturday.
Romanian rescuers resumed their search for seven missing sailors on Friday (16 October) after a drone strike set a chemical tanker ablaze near the country’s Black Sea coast. The attacks have raised fresh security concerns along a vital regional trade route.
Nationwide protests are set to begin in France on Saturday with students, trade unionists and remnants of the Yellow Vest movement expected to demonstrate against rising living costs amongst others.
An unknown projectile struck a tanker 68 nautical miles northeast of Saudi Arabia on Friday according to a report released by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) on Saturday.
The leader of Yemen's Saudi-backed government announced the beginning of a major military operation against the Iran-backed Houthis on Sunday, aimed at seizing the territory under their control.
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the United States meets seven conditions agreed under a June memorandum, as President Donald Trump signals he may soon decide whether to resume military operations against Tehran.
Governments from the Persian Gulf to the Horn of Africa are hedging against a conflict they cannot control, with contingency plans beginning to reshape trade routes, alliances and the regional map.
A supertanker which was cruising through the Strait of Hormuz was targetted by an unknown projectile off the coast of Oman, according to an Iranian news agency which said the vessel was “violating” navigation rules at the Strait of Hormuz on 1 October.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment