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The United States and Iran on Wednesday continued indirect technical negotiations in Qatar aimed at ensuring safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and advancing efforts toward a durable ceasefire, according to a source familiar with the discussions and an Iranian official.
The meetings stem from a 14-point interim agreement reached last month that halted fighting triggered by U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran in February.
The arrangement also reopened the strategic waterway and established a 60-day window for negotiations on a comprehensive peace settlement.
Despite the temporary accord, both sides have offered conflicting interpretations of its provisions, contributing to renewed military exchanges over the past week.
Little headway has reportedly been made on more contentious matters, including Tehran’s nuclear programme.
Iran is seeking international acceptance of its authority over the Strait of Hormuz, including the right to impose charges on vessels entering and leaving the Gulf, according to two senior Iranian officials.
Commercial movement through the waterway has resumed gradually after disruptions caused by the conflict.
Before hostilities erupted, the strait carried nearly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.
Speaking to reporters, U.S. President Donald Trump said efforts to curb Iran’s nuclear activities were “moving along well” but declined to provide further details.
He added that discussions in Doha had been positive, although there was no indication nuclear matters had been addressed.
The negotiations, facilitated by Qatar and Pakistan, began on Tuesday evening and continued into Wednesday. They involve senior negotiators alongside technical experts.
A source familiar with the process said Jared Kushner and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff met Qatar’s prime minister ahead of the talks to help prepare the diplomatic framework but were not participating in the negotiations.
Iran’s delegation is led by Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi and includes officials from the foreign ministry, central bank and agriculture ministry. The team has held consultations with Qatar’s prime minister and mediators.
Tehran has identified management of the Strait of Hormuz and the release of $6 billion in frozen Iranian assets as its immediate priorities.
Washington, meanwhile, remains focused on guaranteeing uninterrupted maritime trade through the strategic passage.
Iranian state media reported that a foreign container vessel ran aground in the Strait of Hormuz after straying into shallow waters outside the designated shipping lane.
Vandana Hari, founder of energy market consultancy Vanda Insights, said shipping activity was recovering but remained inconsistent and lacked full transparency.
The conflict resulted in Iranian attacks on Gulf nations hosting U.S. military facilities, claimed thousands of lives, mostly in Iran and Lebanon, and drove global energy prices higher.
President Trump is under growing domestic pressure to limit the economic impact of the conflict ahead of November’s midterm elections, while critics within his own party argue that the temporary agreement falls short of key U.S. objectives.
In Iran, the ruling establishment has weathered the conflict but continues to face public frustration over worsening economic conditions.
Oil prices declined by about 1% on Wednesday, with U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude falling to $69.12 per barrel, its lowest level since February 27.
The interim accord also calls for ending the parallel confrontation between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement in Lebanon.
Separately, Washington has supported negotiations between Israel and the Lebanese government that produced a security framework rejected by Hezbollah.
Analysts have cautioned that the proposal could reinforce Israel’s military presence in southern Lebanon.
The source added that diplomatic engagement involving the United States and other parties on the Lebanon issue remained intense through Tuesday evening.
By: Magdalene Agyeiwaa Sarpong