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The United States and Iran wrapped up another round of indirect negotiations in Doha on Wednesday without any major progress toward a permanent peace agreement, with discussions centred on implementing elements of the interim accord reached two weeks ago.
People familiar with the negotiations said delegates spent two days addressing maritime navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and the release of frozen Iranian assets, both key provisions of the temporary arrangement.
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry announced that the next round of talks will be held after the funeral ceremonies for Iran’s late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whose burial is scheduled for July 9.
According to the ministry, the latest discussions achieved encouraging developments on matters linked to the ceasefire memorandum that ended the June conflict and built on understandings reached during earlier meetings in Switzerland.
Speaking in Washington, President Donald Trump expressed optimism over future negotiations concerning Iran’s nuclear activities, saying the process toward limiting Tehran’s programme was advancing positively.
However, sources close to the discussions said nuclear issues were not part of the Doha agenda, describing the meetings as technical sessions focused on implementing existing commitments.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance acknowledged that negotiations on Tehran’s nuclear programme would be taken up in future meetings.
Officials said American and Iranian representatives met separately with mediators from Qatar and Pakistan throughout the talks.
A source familiar with the process also disclosed that senior U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential adviser Jared Kushner, despite earlier expectations, did not participate in the sessions.
Iran’s delegation, headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, confirmed the conclusion of the negotiations, although neither side indicated whether outstanding disputes had been narrowed.
The interim agreement commits both countries to restoring commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic passage that previously carried roughly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies before hostilities disrupted traffic.
While vessel movements have partially resumed, uncertainty remains after recent military exchanges, including Iranian strikes on a cargo vessel.
Senior Iranian officials maintain that Tehran intends to secure international acknowledgment of its authority over the waterway and plans to introduce shipping charges from mid-August following the expiry of a temporary toll-free period.
President Trump also downplayed fears of renewed large-scale conflict, saying both governments had made significant progress in reducing tensions.
Global oil markets reacted positively to his remarks, with crude prices falling to their lowest levels in four months as analysts revised their forecasts downward.
Meanwhile, Iranian state media reported that a foreign container vessel became stranded in shallow waters outside the officially designated shipping lane.
Vandana Hari, founder of energy consultancy Vanda Insights, said navigation through the Strait of Hormuz was gradually recovering but remained inconsistent and lacked full operational certainty.
Several European nations have offered assistance with mine-clearing operations in the waterway.
However, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said Berlin was unlikely to take part, citing Iran’s reluctance to cooperate with foreign partners.
By: Magdalene Agyeiwaa Sarpong