Iran Sends Expert Delegation to Doha – No Direct Talks with the US Planned

On the US side, special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner traveled to Doha. The White House announced that the negotiators would "fly to Doha for high-level meetings this week." US President Donald Trump had previously written on his platform Truth Social: "Iran has asked for a meeting."

Background of the Conflict

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi stated, according to the Iranian news agency Isna, that a round of talks would take place "as soon as the prerequisites have been created and agreement has been reached on a date and venue." Technical working group sessions are not planned for the current week; however, consultations through mediators will continue.

According to a senior US official, the delegations from Washington and Tehran will participate separately on Wednesday in technical talks with mediators from Qatar and Pakistan. A meeting between the US emissaries and Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani along with other mediators was also planned.

Strait of Hormuz: Center of the Dispute

At the center of the negotiations, according to US media reports, is not the Iranian nuclear program but the dispute over control of the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had stated on Sunday that Iran is solely responsible for managing the strait within the framework of the agreed-upon accord.

The strait, only about 40 kilometers wide between the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean, is one of the world's most important shipping lanes. Roughly 20 percent of global crude oil is transported through it according to expert estimates. The Sultanate of Oman borders the strait to the south.

The backdrop to the talks is a framework agreement concluded about two weeks ago between the US and Iran that provides for a temporary halt to mutual attacks. The agreement also contains Iran's commitment to making "best efforts to take arrangements" to allow commercial vessels safe, toll-free passage for 60 days.

Unclear Terms in the Framework Agreement

The think tank "The Soufan Center" pointed out that the terms "arrangements" and "best efforts" remained undefined in the framework agreement. Nicole Grajewski of the Paris elite institution Sciences Po told the "New York Times" that the agreement had "deliberately relied on flexible formulations because this was likely the only way to bring them (the negotiations) to a conclusion."

At the same time, the US-Iran war has brought regular shipping traffic in the strait to a near-complete standstill through blockades, military operations, and the alleged deployment of Iranian mines. Just last weekend, both sides carried out isolated mutual military strikes, fueling fears of renewed escalation.

Iranian sources also pointed out that the Revolutionary Guards were using the Strait of Hormuz "as an instrument to exert pressure and strengthen their negotiating position." Ali Vaez of the International Crisis Group told the "Wall Street Journal": "Iran has little interest in watching its political leverage diminish with every ship that is diverted into Omani waters."

Frozen Billions and Economic Consequences

Parallel to the talks, Iran's Foreign Ministry in Tehran announced a meeting with Qatari representatives for the following day, focusing primarily on frozen Iranian assets. According to expert estimates, around 100 billion US dollars in Iranian assets, including revenues from the energy sector, are frozen abroad. A transfer of the funds has not yet taken place, as the Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman stated.

In the dispute over mine clearance in the strait, Iran firmly rejected international offers of assistance. French President Emmanuel Macron had proposed jointly clearing mines in the strait with partner states. Germany, Great Britain, and other states had also signaled their willingness to provide support. Deputy Foreign Minister Gharibabadi stated that Iran would never allow such a joint operation; responsibility for mine clearance lies exclusively with Iran in accordance with the framework agreement.

The Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister also accused Paris of further burdening the already tense situation in the strategically important strait through such initiatives and additional "provocations." France and Oman had previously announced their cooperation on mine clearance.

International Mine Clearance Controversial

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul had previously advocated for free shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and supported the ongoing negotiations. "Now it is crucial to achieve a viable solution for safe, free passage through the Strait of Hormuz," Wadephul stated. He described the talks as an "important step" and emphasized at the same time: "The program must no longer pose a danger."

According to the United Nations, 62 economies are endangered as a result of the Hormuz blockade. The Washington-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) assessed Iranian attacks on US bases in Bahrain and Kuwait as a possible attempt to force the Gulf states to accept Iranian control of the strait.

Risks and Regional Implications

The US President himself expressed ambivalence about the significance of the planned meeting. "The meeting in Doha may be important, maybe not," Trump said. The report was broadcast on June 30, 2026 on the Deutschlandfunk program.

According to experts, the framework agreement between Washington and Tehran also includes an end to fighting in Lebanon between Israel and the pro-Iranian Hezbollah. Critics see in this the danger that the US has granted Iran a veto right over developments in Lebanon.