U.S. and Iran Send Delegations to Qatar After Conflicting Statements on Talks

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said no negotiation meetings with the U.S. side are scheduled in the coming days. Both countries are sending delegations to Qatar. Qatar confirmed that U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Doha to meet mediators rather than Iranian officials.

Baghaei said the Iranian delegation would discuss release of frozen assets and issues related to a memorandum of understanding signed two weeks ago. Trump told reporters that the Doha meeting could be important or not and that the outcome would become clear.

Iranian officials described the agenda as limited to technical discussions on implementing the ceasefire. They also listed demands including recognition of authority over the Strait of Hormuz, release of $6 billion in funds held in Qatar, and Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps has continued to oppose commercial ships using the southern Omani route through the Strait of Hormuz. A joint Gulf Cooperation Council-U.S. statement on June 25 rejected Iranian attempts to exert control over the strait. National average gasoline prices have declined for seven consecutive weeks to $3.86 per gallon.