Iran and the United States have concluded another round of indirect negotiations in Doha without any major breakthrough toward a long-term peace agreement, as discussions remained focused on implementing commitments reached under a temporary deal announced two weeks ago.
Sources familiar with the negotiations said officials from both countries spent two days addressing maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and the release of frozen Iranian funds—two key elements of the interim agreement. According to Qatar's Foreign Ministry, the next round of talks will take place after the funeral ceremonies for Iran's late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who is scheduled to be buried on July 9.
Qatar said the latest discussions recorded "positive progress" on matters linked to the memorandum that ended the June conflict and were "building on the outcomes" of a previous summit held in Switzerland.
Speaking in Washington, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed optimism about the broader diplomatic process, saying discussions on Iran's nuclear programme were advancing.
"The denuclearisation of Iran is moving along well," Trump told reporters. "They've had very good meetings, and we'll see."
However, sources close to the negotiations said Iran's nuclear programme was not discussed during the Doha meetings, describing the talks as technical and limited in scope.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance indicated that nuclear negotiations would be addressed in subsequent discussions.
"Obviously, we're worried about the nuclear issue; we're going to start talking about that," he told reporters.
Qatar's Foreign Ministry said American and Iranian officials met separately with mediators from Qatar and Pakistan throughout the negotiations.
Meanwhile, White House envoy Steve Witkoff and President Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who had been expected to participate in what the White House described as "high-level" talks, were absent from the sessions, according to a source familiar with the matter.
Iran's delegation, led by Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, confirmed the talks had concluded. Neither Tehran nor Washington disclosed whether the latest negotiations had narrowed the remaining differences between the two sides.
WHO CONTROLS THE STRAIT
The initial agreement between Iran and the United States provides for the resumption of commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway that previously carried about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas trade before the recent conflict.
Although vessel movements have resumed in part, uncertainty continues to surround the security and operational status of the strait after both countries exchanged military strikes last weekend following an Iranian attack on a cargo ship.
According to two senior Iranian sources, Tehran is pushing for international recognition of its authority over the waterway and is prepared to use force if necessary. The sources added that Iran intends to begin collecting shipping tolls from mid-August, after the toll-free period outlined in the initial agreement expires.
Speaking on Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump dismissed fears of an immediate return to full-scale conflict, saying, "I think they've come a long way."
The remarks contributed to a decline in oil prices, which fell to their lowest level in four months, prompting analysts to lower their price forecasts for the first time since the conflict began.
Meanwhile, Iranian state media reported that a foreign container ship ran aground in shallow waters outside the shipping lane designated by Iranian authorities.
Market analysts, however, cautioned that the situation remains unstable.
"Hormuz continues to reopen, but it's patchy, unpredictable, and not fully transparent," said Vandana Hari, founder of oil market analysis firm Vanda Insights.
Several European countries have offered assistance in clearing mines from the Strait of Hormuz to improve maritime safety. However, Germany's Defence Minister, Boris Pistorius, said Berlin is unlikely to take part in the operation, citing Iran's reluctance to cooperate with other nations. Reuters.
