Iran has denied reports that it will hold negotiations with the United States this week, contradicting claims of planned talks in Doha and raising fresh doubts over the implementation of the interim ceasefire agreed earlier this month.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said an Iranian technical delegation will travel to Qatar this week but stressed that the visit has “no relation” to the American delegation.
“We will not have any negotiation meetings at any level with the American side in the coming days,” Baghaei said, dismissing media reports suggesting US-Iran technical talks were scheduled in Doha.
The denial came after US President Donald Trump said American officials would meet their Iranian counterparts in Doha. According to the White House, Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff are expected to lead the US delegation.
The conflicting statements have highlighted uncertainty surrounding the June 17 memorandum of understanding, which established a 60-day implementation period for a ceasefire, discussions on Iran’s nuclear program, and negotiations toward a permanent peace agreement.
Progress under the agreement has remained slow, with both Washington and Tehran accusing each other of violating parts of the ceasefire. Fresh missile exchanges over the weekend further raised concerns about the durability of the truce.
The conflict began after US and Israeli strikes on Iran in February, triggering months of hostilities and severely disrupting maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy route.
A senior Iranian official said a meeting in Doha could still take place, but its focus would likely be on managing the Strait of Hormuz and reducing regional tensions rather than broader political negotiations.
Meanwhile, another official said US and Iranian technical teams may hold separate consultations with Pakistani and Qatari mediators as diplomatic efforts continue behind the scenes.
Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump said the proposed Doha meeting “is going to be perhaps important, perhaps not,” while reiterating that Iran must never acquire a nuclear weapon.
Tensions remain high after the United States accused Iran of attacking commercial vessels in recent days and responded with strikes on Iranian military targets. Iran, in turn, launched missiles and drones targeting US military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait.
On the diplomatic front, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff briefed members of Congress on the latest developments. While some lawmakers described the discussion as constructive, others criticized the administration for providing limited details about the ceasefire process.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also announced that $6 billion of Iran’s frozen assets held in Qatar would be released under the agreement, calling it a major diplomatic victory for Tehran.
Despite ongoing negotiations and sanctions relief, oil prices rose on Monday as markets reacted to renewed military exchanges and uncertainty over the future of the ceasefire.
