US President Donald Trump said Iran has requested a meeting and confirmed that talks will take place in Doha on Tuesday, days after the two countries exchanged strikes. “Iran has requested a meeting. It will take place tomorrow in Doha!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. Earlier, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said no technical working group meetings between Iran and the United States are scheduled for this week, reported Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency. Meanwhile, a source told Al Jazeera that “communication channels created to de-escalate any incidents are in place and technical talks are set to continue.”
The weekend strikes are testing a US-Iran agreement intended to halt hostilities during 60 days of technical negotiations. Following several days of fire exchanges near the Strait of Hormuz, a Trump administration official announced Sunday that both the US and Iran have agreed to stand down, with shipping lanes reopened to free movement. The two countries had since agreed to meet in Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday to discuss outstanding disputes, Axios reported earlier on Monday.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said $6 billion of Iran’s $12 billion in frozen assets held in Qatar will be released after an agreement with the United States lifted oil and petrochemical sanctions, reported Iranian state media. The MoU signed earlier between Washington and Tehran has come under serious concerns as the region saw an exchange of fresh strikes between the two parties, leaving the states of Kuwait, Bahrain and Strait of Hormuz affected.
Latest Developments
- Hormuz standoff deepens: Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said control of the Strait of Hormuz lies solely with Tehran, warning that any attempt to bypass Iran’s preferred route will cause tension and escalation. Commercial vessel operators say the interim agreement is not reflected in conditions on the waterway.
- Doha talks confirmed: The US and Iran have agreed to halt attacks and hold talks in the Qatari capital on Tuesday to resolve the Hormuz dispute, according to Axios.
- Lebanon complicates deal: Iran has demanded a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon as a condition of any final agreement with Washington, further straining peace efforts.
- Lebanon framework rejected: Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said Beirut’s framework agreement with Israel will not pass and will not be implemented, saying it fails to guarantee Lebanese rights.