US President Donald Trump on Monday asserted that Iran had requested a meeting with the United States following recent military escalations over the Strait of Hormuz, and announced that talks with Tehran would take place in Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday. This claim comes despite Iranian officials stating that no technical meetings have been scheduled for this week.
Trump's announcement on Truth Social
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, "IRAN HAS REQUESTED A MEETING. IT WILL TAKE PLACE TOMORROW IN DOHA!" According to Axios, the meeting in Qatar aims to resolve the dispute over the Strait of Hormuz, which has seen a series of fresh strikes from both sides over control of maritime traffic through the strategic waterway.
A senior US official told Axios, "We decided to stop all the kinetic activity," using the military term for strikes and other attacks. Another official said both sides will stand down "for now" and that "vessels can move freely" as technical talks are set to continue.
US officials confirm planned meeting
Both US officials and a third source with knowledge confirmed Tuesday's planned meeting. However, Iranian officials rejected reports suggesting that technical negotiations are set to begin imminently.
According to Iran's state broadcaster, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs, Kazem Gharibabadi, said that no technical working group meetings are scheduled for this week under the framework of the 14-point Memorandum of Understanding aimed at ending the conflict in West Asia.
"No technical working group meetings are scheduled for this week," Gharibabadi said in response to media queries, as reported by IRIB. He added that while consultations with Qatar are continuing as usual, particularly regarding the implementation of commitments by the other party, reports claiming that technical working group discussions are currently taking place in Doha could not be confirmed.
Qatar's role as mediator
Qatar has acted as one of the chief mediators in negotiations between Tehran and Washington. Gharibabadi further stated that the first round of technical talks would only take place once the necessary conditions are in place and after an agreement is reached on the date and venue.
"The first round of technical talks will be held within the framework of the designated working groups, once conditions are in place and after an agreement is reached on the date and location, and consultations in this regard are continuing through the intermediary countries," he said, as quoted by IRIB.
Divergent public positions
Trump's announcement and Tehran's denial underscore the differing public positions adopted by the two sides regarding the status of negotiations, even as Qatar continues to facilitate consultations between them. The Strait of Hormuz remains a flashpoint, with both sides having engaged in military actions over control of the vital waterway.
