WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump has announced that a meeting between the United States and Iran will take place in Qatar on Tuesday, indicating that diplomatic efforts are continuing despite recent military clashes in the Gulf region.
Trump’s announcement on Monday came less than two hours after a senior Iranian official said that technical discussions on the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Washington and Tehran were not scheduled for this week.
“IRAN HAS REQUESTED A MEETING. IT WILL TAKE PLACE TOMORROW IN DOHA!” Trump wrote in a post on social media.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the meeting would happen once certain conditions were fulfilled, but he did not provide further details.
“Although consultations with Qatar, including regarding the follow-up of the implementation of the other party’s commitments, are ongoing as usual, the news from some media outlets that technical talks of the working groups will be held in Doha cannot be confirmed,” Gharibabadi told Iran’s Tasnim news agency.
The statements from Washington and Tehran appeared to be contradictory, though a possible breakthrough may have led to the meeting being arranged after Gharibabadi’s remarks.
Iran has not yet officially confirmed that the talks have been scheduled.
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner will lead the American negotiating team in Doha.
“Special Envoy Witkoff and Jared Kushner will be flying to Doha for high-level meetings this week as we continue to discuss the memorandum of understanding,” Leavitt told Fox News.
She added that technical discussions would also take place on the sidelines of the high-level negotiations.
The United States and Iran reached an agreement earlier this month aimed at ending the war, beginning a 60-day negotiation period focused on the most difficult issues between the two sides, including Tehran’s nuclear programme.
However, the agreement has faced challenges due to Israel’s ongoing attacks in Lebanon and Iran’s claims of control over the Strait of Hormuz.
The first point of the 14-point MoU calls for a complete ceasefire in Lebanon while “ensuring the territorial integrity and sovereignty” of the country.
However, the US has backed a separate agreement between Lebanon and Israel that links Israel’s withdrawal to the disarmament of Hezbollah throughout Lebanon.
The Strait of Hormuz has also remained a major dispute. Iran has rejected the use of routes through the waterway that are not under its control and has fired on ships using lanes not approved by Tehran.
The US carried out strikes on Iranian positions near the waterway, after which Iran responded with missile and drone attacks targeting American bases in Bahrain and Kuwait.
Despite the exchange of attacks, diplomatic and de-escalation efforts appear to be continuing.
“As far as we’re concerned, we’re holding up our end of the ceasefire,” Leavitt said on Monday, while warning that “violence will be met with violence” if Iran attacks commercial ships or US interests.
Trump on Monday also praised the decline in oil prices following the agreement, which resulted in Tehran lifting its blockade of Hormuz and easing US sanctions on Iranian energy exports.
“GAS PRICES COMING DOWN, FAST! REPORT ANY ABUSES AT RETAIL LEVEL,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
The average price of gasoline in the United States has fallen to $3.86 per gallon (3.8 litres), down from a peak of $4.56 in May. Before the war, the price was below $3 per gallon.