Indirect technical discussions between the United States and Iran are proceeding in Doha this week, mediated by Qatar, even as the two sides offer sharply contrasting accounts of the nature of the engagement. White House envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in the Qatari capital to meet with Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani and other mediators, while US Vice President JD Vance confirmed that scheduled technical talks were taking place. The meetings follow the electronic signing on 18 June of a memorandum of understanding between US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, brokered by Pakistan, which established a framework to end hostilities that erupted in late February.

Speaking in a series of interviews on Tuesday, Vice President Vance asserted that the United States holds “all the cards” and has already achieved its core objective of ensuring Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon. He claimed that Iran’s nuclear programme and conventional military have been “destroyed” and that its ability to enrich uranium has been eliminated. From Washington’s perspective, the outcome is favourable regardless of whether a final agreement is reached. “If we make the final deal, then great. If we don’t make the final deal, their nuclear program is still destroyed,” Vance said. He characterised Iran’s public denials of direct peace talks as a “Persian negotiating tactic” and stressed that the administration is focused on Tehran’s actions rather than its statements. The vice president added that President Trump has demonstrated willingness to use military force, but only in service of a clear objective, and that other options remain if diplomacy fails.

Tehran, however, maintains that no direct negotiations with Washington are scheduled. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei stated that the discussions in Doha are confined to implementing clauses of the existing memorandum, including the release of frozen Iranian assets held in Qatar. Iranian officials have consistently described the engagement as consultations with intermediaries rather than bilateral talks. This public posture, viewed from Tehran, allows the government to manage domestic political expectations while continuing technical-level contacts that could lead to sanctions relief and the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime chokepoint.

The memorandum, which took effect in mid-June, provides a framework for addressing a range of unresolved issues: a cessation of hostilities, the lifting of sanctions, Iran’s nuclear programme, the security of shipping lanes, and broader regional security arrangements. According to US officials, the deal has already contributed to a decline in oil prices to around $73 per barrel and an increase in tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. No independent verification of the claimed destruction of Iran’s enrichment infrastructure has been made public, and the technical talks are expected to focus on detailed implementation steps. The dossier remains in an active diplomatic phase, with the US indicating that it will continue to pursue negotiations while retaining what it describes as significant military and economic leverage. The next round of technical discussions is under way in Doha, with no date set for a comprehensive final agreement.