US-Iran Talks: Pakistan and Qatar Facilitate Progress in Doha Negotiations
Mediators report positive developments as Washington and Tehran agree to continue discussions after Iran’s national mourning period.
Pakistani and Qatari mediators hold talks with US and Iranian negotiators in Doha.
US-Iran talks moved forward on Thursday as Pakistani and Qatari mediators met separately with American and Iranian negotiators in Doha. The discussions focused on implementing the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and expanding dialogue started in Switzerland earlier this month.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office said the meetings achieved positive progress on key issues under the MoU. It added that both sides agreed to continue negotiations after Iran completes the funeral ceremonies for its former Supreme Leader.
Iran’s former Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was assassinated during the first day of the recent US-Israel conflict, is scheduled to be buried on July 9.
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Qatar’s Foreign Ministry also confirmed the outcome. It issued a matching statement and said both sides would meet again as soon as possible after the mourning period.
Officials familiar with the negotiations said the teams spent two days discussing maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. They also discussed the release of Iran’s frozen assets. Both issues remain central to the initial agreement.
In Washington, US President Donald Trump said negotiations were making steady progress. He expressed confidence that future discussions would address Iran’s nuclear programme.
“The denuclearisation of Iran is moving along well,” Trump told reporters. “They’ve had very good meetings, and we’ll see.”
However, officials involved in the Doha talks said the latest meetings did not cover nuclear issues. They described the discussions as technical and focused on implementing existing commitments.
US Vice President JD Vance said negotiators would discuss the nuclear programme in a future round of talks.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said both sides agreed to establish a communication channel. The channel will record and report any violations of the Islamabad MoU.
Gharibabadi also said Iran would use part of its frozen assets in Qatar to buy essential goods. He made the remarks after meetings with Qatari officials, including representatives of the central bank.
Pakistan and Qatar brokered the US-Iran MoU during a summit in Lucerne, Switzerland, last month. The agreement includes a 60-day ceasefire, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and a roadmap for future negotiations. The talks aim to secure lasting peace and address Iran’s nuclear programme.
