Iran and the US concluded a round of indirect talks in Doha on Wednesday, with mediators saying they made progress despite Tehran accusing Washington of violating parts of a recently signed memorandum of understanding.
The technical talks, mediated by Qatar and Pakistan, focused on the implementation of the Islamabad memorandum , the release of frozen Iranian assets, and tensions around the Strait of Hormuz . What was agreed in Doha? Iran’s chief negotiator Kazem Gharibabadi said the Iranian delegation began by meeting with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, followed by joint meetings with Qatari and Pakistani mediators.
Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari said the parties had agreed to continue discussions, with the next meeting expected to be scheduled after the funeral processions for former Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei .
He said there had been "positive progress on issues related to the memorandum of understanding signed in Islamabad".
But the talks also exposed continuing tensions over the implementation of the deal.
Gharibabadi said Iran had raised what it described as US "violations" of its commitments under the first clause of the memorandum, which concerns ending the war in Lebanon.
He also pointed to reports that Washington was bolstering its military assets and troop presence in the region, as well as "threats and interference" by US officials.
According to Iran’s official IRNA news agency, Gharibabadi said the memorandum’s commitments "constitute an integrated package and cannot be dealt with separately or selectively".
The parties agreed to establish an emergency communication channel for the team monitoring implementation of the memorandum by Thursday, aimed at formally documenting alleged shortcomings, discussing them, and taking necessary decisions.
The first meeting of the monitoring team was also held in Doha, attended by senior negotiators from Iran, Qatar and Pakistan.
The discussions also covered part of an initial $6 billion in funds linked to Iran, with Gharibabadi saying talks with Qatari officials, including the central bank, addressed how part of the money would be spent.
He said there had been agreement on purchasing goods required by Iran according to needs announced by Tehran and delivering them to the country.
Gharibabadi stressed that no direct meeting took place between the Iranian and US delegations in Doha. Where do the talks go from here? A US delegation led by President Donald Trump ’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner was also in Doha at the same time, holding meetings with senior Qatari officials, including Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
A US official told Axios that the sides had reached an agreement to maintain calm over the coming week to allow progress on the memorandum "in a productive environment, without the launching of missiles".
The official added that Trump had made clear Washington would respond with more missiles "every time they fire", and would target sites that weaken Iran’s position in the Strait of Hormuz. Reuters earlier reported that Witkoff and Kushner met Sheikh Mohammed on Tuesday to lay the groundwork for Wednesday’s technical sessions, but did not attend the talks themselves.
A senior Iranian official told Reuters that indirect negotiations between Tehran and Washington began on Tuesday evening and continued on Wednesday through Qatari and Pakistani intermediaries.
The official said the talks focused on frozen Iranian assets and the Strait of Hormuz.
What comes next is likely to depend on whether the new monitoring channel can keep the Islamabad memorandum on track despite the public accusations.