Negotiations at a “technical level” between Iran and the United States have now begun in Doha, Qatar. This was reported by Al Jazeera whose sources clarified that no face-to-face meetings between senior officials of the two sides are planned.
In Doha there are at least three working groups dealing with technical discussions: the nuclear issue, diplomacy and the financing and return of frozen funds.
The meetings
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Garibabadi met with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman today in Doha to discuss the 14 points of the memorandum of understanding signed with the United States, including the management of the Strait of Hormuz. The official news agency Irna reported this.
“The parties addressed a wide range of issues, including the process of implementing the memorandum of understanding to end the war, as well as existing challenges and obstacles to its implementation, especially regarding Lebanon,” the agency explained.
After Abdulrahman, the Iranian delegation also saw envoys from Pakistan, another mediator between Tehran and Washington.
Before Gharibabadi, Abdulrahman had seen US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff to discuss “the evolution of talks and efforts to promote security and stability in the region through dialogue and diplomacy,” according to a statement from the Qatari Foreign Ministry. But there have been no direct meetings between the Iranian and American delegations.
Work not started
Iran and the United States have established working groups to address in detail the points of the June 17 memorandum of understanding. This was reported by Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Garibabadi, who was in Qatar for indirect technical negotiations with Washington.
The work of the experts has not yet begun. “The consultations to set the date and place of the negotiations within these working groups are continuing through the mediators and, once the necessary conditions are met, the negotiations will formally begin,” said the Iranian diplomat, as reported by the IRNA agency.