The United States envoy arrived in Doha for Iran war talks with mediator Qatar after the weekend exchange.
According to Euro News, Qatar said that US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and senior adviser and US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner landed in Doha on Tuesday, June 30.
As per Qatar the envoy will talk to the mediators on “all regional issues,” following the four days of tension and strikes in the Strait of Hormuz.
US envoy will not meet Iranian delegation
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari has confirmed that the US delegation will not meet Iranian officials in Doha.
He said, “The US envoy Mr. Steve Witkoff and Mr. Jared Kushner are here in Doha to meet with the mediators with Qatari officials, and the talks will be around all regional issues which are of concern, including negotiations with Iran.”
Al-Ansari during the media briefing also stressed that “they are here not for direct negotiations with the Iranians.”
Giving an update on the $6 billion Iranian frozen fund, the Qatari official added that the funds and not transferred to Tehran yet but this will happen “according to the advancement of negotiations.”
The White House told CNN that the US envoy will meet Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani and other mediators in Doha but will not hold direct talks with the Iranian delegation, which is expected to visit Qatar this week.
Iran reject to talk US ‘at any level’
Iran has confirmed that its delegation will also visit Qatar this week but at the same time rejected the idea of direct talks with the US on any matter.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said Tuesday that Iran has had no plans for a meeting with the American side at any level in the coming days.
Baghaei told journalists, “What will take place in Doha tomorrow is a discussion with the Qatari side about implementing parts of the memorandum of understanding, including the release of Iran’s blocked assets which is with the Qatari side.”
“Basically, we have no plans to meet with the American side at any level in the next few days,” he stressed.
Trump claims Iran ‘requested’ a meeting
Trump announced the meeting on Monday in an all-caps social media post: “IRAN HAS REQUESTED A MEETING. IT WILL TAKE PLACE TOMORROW IN DOHA!”
Speaking to reporters, the US president also stated that the “meeting in Doha is going to be perhaps important, perhaps not.”
He doubled down on his claim that the US is doing very well in the fight to denuclearize Iran.
Trump said, “We’re winning militarily. It’s almost won militarily, I would say. And it’s really very simple. It’s the denuclearisation of Iran. We don’t want them to have a nuclear weapon, and they’re not going to have a nuclear weapon. And they’ve agreed to that.”
Trump has repeatedly claimed that Tehran won’t be allowed to run its nuclear programme, specifics of which have yet to be thrashed out between the two sides as part of the June 17 MoU.
China speaks out on US-Iran ‘fragile’ ceasefire
After agreeing on interim ceasefire deal earlier this month US-Iran traded strikes last week to open Oman’s territorial water in the strait to both inbound and outbound ship traffic from the Persian Gulf the conflict raised question about the negotiations and MOU (Memorandum of Understanding)
China on Tuesday, June 30, also urged that US-Iran talks momentum must be sustained and offered Beijing help in the matter.
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi said, “The current ceasefire remains fragile, but talking is better than fighting, and dialogue is better than confrontation,” adding that Beijing was ready to work with Saudi Arabia to help ease regional tensions and promote lasting peace.
