Positive Progress in Doha Talks on 14-Point MoU
Qatar and Pakistan have concluded separate meetings with US and Iranian negotiators in Doha, reporting "positive progress" on issues related to the 14-point Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), according to Qatar's foreign ministry official spokesperson. Majed Al Ansari, adviser to Qatar's prime minister and official spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, posted on X on Thursday that the talks built on the outcomes of the Lake Lucerne Summit and would continue after the funeral ceremonies for Iran's former Supreme Leader.
Details of the Meetings
"Qatar & Pakistan mediators concluded separate meetings with the US & Iranian negotiators in Doha today, with positive progress made on issues related to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, building on the outcomes of the Lake Lucerne Summit. The parties agreed to continue discussions over the coming period, with the next meeting to be scheduled at the earliest possible time following the funeral processions of the former Iranian Supreme Leader," Al Ansari said.
Iran's Concerns Over US Commitments
According to Tasnim News Agency, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs, Kazem Gharibabadi, said Tehran raised concerns over Washington's implementation of previous commitments during the Doha discussions. "We raised the issue of the US's failure to fulfil commitments in Lebanon at the Doha meeting," Gharibabadi stated. He added that discussions with Qatari officials also focused on the use of part of the initial frozen USD 6 billion in Iranian funds. "In the meetings with Qatari officials, the issues related to the expenditure of part of the initial USD 6 billion were reviewed, and it was agreed that, based on the announced needs, the purchase of required goods will be carried out and placed at Iran's disposal," Gharibabadi said.
Funeral Ceremonies for Former Supreme Leader
Iranian authorities are planning funeral ceremonies for former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei from July 4 through July 9 across locations in Iran and Iraq. Khamenei was killed in an airstrike on the opening day of the US-Israel war with Iran on February 28.
US President Trump's Optimism
Earlier, US President Donald Trump claimed that the "denuclearisation" of Iran was going "well," expressing optimism about the diplomatic process with the Islamic Republic despite the absence of Iran from direct high-level negotiations involving senior US officials in Qatar. Speaking to reporters as he departed for North Dakota to visit the newly built Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, Trump said discussions on Iran's nuclear programme had progressed positively following recent military action on the Islamic Republic over strikes on transiting vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. The US President also asserted that Iran had changed its position following the recent strikes. "They've come a long way. We hit them very hard last week. They're fine. We're going to get it. It's the denuclearisation of Iran," he said. Reiterating Washington's longstanding position on Tehran's nuclear ambitions, Trump said Iran would not be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon. "Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. Otherwise, all of this stuff that we look at, all of these things that we do, the country has never had activity like it's got right now," he said.
