The United States and Iran began indirect talks in Doha on Wednesday aimed at ending the conflict in the Middle East, a diplomat briefed on the discussions told AFP.
Speaking on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the talks, the diplomat said the discussions were being held on the basis of a memorandum of understanding. The talks build on progress made at the Lake Lucerne conference in Switzerland and a negotiating framework approved by both sides in June.
The diplomat said US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff were not participating in the technical-level discussions but had met Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdurrahman Al Thani on Tuesday.
Both the United States and Iran had previously announced they would send officials to the Doha meetings.
The US-Iran memorandum of understanding, brokered by Qatar and Pakistan, includes a 60-day ceasefire, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz after sanctions are lifted, and a timeline for reaching a final agreement on ending the war and Iran’s nuclear program. The conflict began on February 28 with US and Israeli strikes.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Ismail Baqaei confirmed that Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi was leading the Iranian delegation. However, he said Iran had “no plans at any level” for direct talks with the American side in the coming days, rejecting President Trump’s demand for face-to-face negotiations.
Qatar’s foreign ministry said Kushner and Witkoff discussed the “ongoing negotiations between the United States and Iran within the framework of the memorandum of understanding” during their meeting with the Qatari prime minister. The situation in Lebanon was also discussed.
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