Indirect technical negotiations between the United States and Iran commenced in Doha on Wednesday, with officials from both sides communicating through Qatari and Pakistani intermediaries. The talks, confirmed by diplomatic sources and an Iranian official, are tasked with advancing the implementation of a memorandum of understanding signed on 17 June that established a 60-day framework to end hostilities, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, release a portion of frozen Iranian assets, and negotiate a comprehensive settlement. The Iranian delegation, led by Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, includes representatives from the central bank and the agriculture ministry, a composition that, according to regional analysts, signals the centrality of the financial and trade dimensions to the discussions.

Viewed from Washington, the talks represent a diplomatic track that President Donald Trump described as “very good,” stating that “the denuclearization of Iran is moving along well.” A US official characterised the preliminary meetings between American envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani as “positive discussions with regional leaders.” Vice President JD Vance, however, cautioned that negotiations remain in their early stages and that the administration retains “a lot of leverage” to secure verifiable, inspection-backed commitments on Iran’s nuclear programme. The White House has not ruled out a return to large-scale military operations, though officials cited by the Wall Street Journal indicate that President Trump currently prefers limited, calibrated strikes in response to violations of the memorandum.

Tehran’s official narrative diverges sharply. Foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei stated that “no negotiations at any level” are planned with the United States, framing the Doha mission solely as a technical follow-up on the memorandum’s implementation with the Qatari side. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who leads Iran’s negotiating team, similarly insisted that “we have no negotiations with America at all” and that the meetings merely pursue the results of prior understandings. The Iranian state broadcaster’s decision to cut short a recorded interview with Ghalibaf—removing segments on the $12 billion in frozen assets and their intended use—drew a public rebuke from his office and highlighted, according to Tehran-based observers, the domestic sensitivities surrounding any perceived concessions.

Qatar’s foreign ministry confirmed that the $6 billion in Iranian funds held in Doha has not yet been transferred and that any release will proceed “according to the progress of negotiations.” Doha is also coordinating with Oman to ensure safe maritime passage through the Strait of Hormuz. The technical committees are working against the 60-day deadline set by the memorandum, which expires in mid-August, to produce a durable agreement. While the indirect format allows both capitals to manage domestic expectations, the substantive gaps—over the mechanism for asset disbursement, the scope of nuclear oversight, and the sequencing of sanctions relief—remain the focus of the expert-level sessions that are expected to continue in the coming days.