U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Wednesday that backchannel discussions with Iran in Qatar were advancing, providing a cautious indication that diplomatic efforts remained intact following recent clashes that had jeopardized attempts to conclude the conflict in the Middle East.
The Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, head of Tehran's team, stated afterward that the discussions had ended and both parties had decided to set up a contact mechanism by Thursday for reporting and documenting breaches of their first memorandum of understanding.
Iran has maintained that there will be no direct talks in Doha regarding the agreement intended to conclude the conflict triggered by U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran at the end of February.
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Regarding current developments, Iran's nuclear disarmament is progressing nicely," Trump said to reporters before stepping onto Air Force One. "We struck them very hard... but we're managing quite well.
A letter of intent, facilitated by Qatar and Pakistan and finalized during a meeting held last month in Lucerne, Switzerland, outlines a 60-day truce, the resumption of traffic through the blocked Persian Gulf strait, and a schedule for concluding an agreement regarding the conflict and Iran’s atomic energy initiatives.
A diplomatic source, who wished to remain anonymous, stated that the Qatar talks, conducted at a more junior level and centered around executing the memorandum, aimed to "continue the advancements achieved during the Lake Lucerne Summit."
Iran refuted President Trump's previous assertion that the discussions would be direct, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei stating that Iran has "no intentions of holding talks with the U.S. side at any level in the near future."
Gharibabadi mentioned that the talks also addressed the frozen Iranian funds, which Tehran has insisted upon being released as part of any agreement.
He mentioned that authorities examined the allocation of a portion of the original $6 billion from the United States and concluded that essential supplies for Iran would be purchased and provided.
U.S. representatives Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff did not participate in the technical discussions, according to a diplomatic source, following their meeting with Qatari Premier Sheikh Mohammad bin Abdullah al-Thani on Tuesday.
The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the three parties addressed the discussions between the United States and Iran, as well as events unfolding in Lebanon.
On Wednesday, the office of Qatar's leader stated that Kushner and Witkoff also met with Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the ruling monarch.
Anna Jacobs, a visiting fellow with the Arab Gulf States Institute, mentioned that "it's still very early in the negotiations, and conflicts are occurring both behind the scenes and openly."
" The main encouraging point is that they remain involved despite the conflicts from last week," she stated.
Following the signing of the U.S.-Iran agreement last month, both parties have engaged in hostilities in the Gulf, highlighting the challenges involved in transforming the preliminary ceasefire into a permanent resolution.
Iran attacked a merchant vessel that it claimed had deviated from its designated path through the Strait of Hormuz, while U.S. Central Command stated it had hit 10 Iranian military objectives.
Iran subsequently attacked U.S. military installations in Kuwait and Bahrain, leading to criticism from both Gulf countries.
Iran's lead negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, stated on Tuesday that "when a conflict of this scale concludes... it is unavoidable that there will be execution difficulties, events, and disagreements, particularly when dealing with entities like the Israeli government."
He mentioned that Iran's team in Doha would concentrate on executing provisions concerning the Strait of Hormuz and the conflict in Lebanon.
The gunfire seemed to have decreased in the days leading up to the Qatar negotiations, as oil prices dropped amid market optimism about ongoing U.S.-Iran interactions.
In the Lebanon region, clashes between Israel and Hezbollah have remained largely calm as well.
Hezbollah, supported by Iran, brought Lebanon into the broader Middle Eastern conflict in March through missile attacks on Israel, leading to Israeli airstrikes and a land invasion.
Teheran has stated that any ultimate agreement must involve ending the conflict in Lebanon and the removal of Israeli forces from the southern region, parts of which they currently control.
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