The United States and Iran held indirect technical talks in Doha on Wednesday, focusing on the flow of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and efforts to secure a lasting ceasefire, according to a source with direct knowledge of the talks and an Iranian official. The discussions are based on a 14-point interim accord signed last month, which aimed to halt the war that began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran in February and reopen the strategic waterway, while setting up 60 days of negotiations for a permanent peace deal.
Public Sparring and Military Strikes
Despite the interim pact, the US and Iran have publicly sparred over its meaning, leading to tit-for-tat military strikes over the past week. Progress on more complex issues, including Iran's nuclear programme, remains limited. Iran is determined to win international recognition of its control over the strait and its ability to levy fees on ships entering or leaving the Gulf, even if by force, according to two senior Iranian sources. Traffic has partially resumed through the waterway, which handled one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas trade before the war.
Trump Comments on Denuclearisation
US President Donald Trump, who has prioritised removing Iran's highly enriched uranium, told reporters on Wednesday that "the denuclearisation of Iran is moving along well," without providing details. He added that negotiators had "very good meetings" in Doha, though there was no evidence the nuclear issue had yet been discussed in the current talks. The indirect negotiations, mediated by Qatar and Pakistan, began on Tuesday night and continued on Wednesday, the Iranian official said. The talks are structured as sessions between chief negotiators and specialists, with Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and envoy Steve Witkoff meeting Qatar's prime minister to lay the groundwork but not attending the sessions themselves.
Iranian Delegation and Priorities
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi led a delegation comprising representatives from Iran's foreign ministry, central bank, and agriculture ministry. They met Qatar's prime minister and held talks with mediators. Iran has publicly stated its priorities include agreeing on management of the strait and the release of $6 billion in frozen Iranian assets. The Iranian official confirmed that the current round would focus on these two issues. The US priority is to ensure the free flow of traffic through the strait, the source with knowledge of the talks said.
Incident in the Strait
Iran's state media reported on Wednesday that a foreign container ship had run aground in the Strait of Hormuz after entering shallow waters outside the shipping route designated by Iranian authorities. "Hormuz continues to reopen, but it's patchy, unpredictable, and not fully transparent," said Vandana Hari, founder of oil market analysis provider Vanda Insights. The war, which began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran in February, triggered Iranian attacks on Gulf states hosting US military bases, killed thousands of people mainly in Iran and Lebanon, and pushed up oil and fuel prices.
Domestic Pressures and Oil Prices
Trump faces domestic pressure to contain the economic fallout from the war before midterm elections in November, as well as criticism from his own party that the interim deal leaves US objectives unmet. In Iran, the theocratic leadership survived the war but faces domestic anger over a shattered economy. Oil prices fell around 1% on Wednesday, with US West Texas Intermediate crude reaching its lowest since February 27—a day before the war's outbreak—at $69.12 a barrel.
Parallel Talks on Lebanon
The interim deal between the US and Iran also provides for an end to a parallel conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. The US has backed a separate track of talks between Israel and Lebanon's government, which produced a framework security deal that Hezbollah has dismissed. Analysts warn the deal could entrench Israel's occupation of Lebanon's south. There had been intensive diplomatic activity on Lebanon between parties, including the US, up to Tuesday evening, the source with knowledge of the talks said.
