German and US Diplomats Confer on Iran Agreement
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington on Tuesday to discuss the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Iran and the United States. The talks centered on ensuring safe and free passage through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime chokepoint for global oil shipments.
The German Foreign Office formally welcomed the recent agreement between the US and Iran to halt mutual attacks and resume negotiations, describing it as an "important step" that creates a vital window for diplomacy. In a post on X, the office stated: "The agreement between the United States and Iran to halt mutual attacks and continue negotiations is an important step. It creates an opportunity for diplomacy in what remains a highly fragile situation."
Maritime Security and Nuclear Program Addressed
Among the topics discussed, Wadephul and Rubio underscored the need for maritime security, emphasizing that any final framework must conclusively address Iran's nuclear program so that it "must never again pose a threat." The German Foreign Office posted: "The priority now is to reach a sustainable solution that ensures safe and free passage through the #StraitOfHormuz and, in particular, addresses Iran's nuclear programme, which must never again pose a threat."
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reflected on the talks, affirming that both leaders expressed shared resolve to ensure Iran can never "obtain or develop" a nuclear weapon. He also noted that the duo discussed the need for NATO burden-shifting and conflict resolution between Russia and Ukraine. Rubio wrote on X: "Met with German Foreign Minister @AussenMinDE today to discuss the situation in the Middle East and reiterated our shared commitment to ensuring Iran never obtains or develops a nuclear weapon. We also reaffirmed the need for NATO burden shifting and a durable peace between Russia and Ukraine."
Iran Denies Bilateral Talks, Focuses on MoU Implementation
Meanwhile, Iran has explicitly denied reports of any upcoming bilateral talks with the United States. Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei clarified that no negotiations are scheduled between the two nations at any level in the coming days. According to the Tasnim news agency, Baghaei stated that Tehran is strictly prioritizing the technical implementation of the existing 14-point MoU rather than initiating new political dialogue.
As part of this operational focus, Baghaei announced that an expert delegation from the Islamic Republic of Iran will be dispatched to Doha, Qatar, this week to follow up on the MoU. The development highlights Iran's insistence on technical compliance over renewed diplomatic engagement.
