Iran's Foreign Ministry stated no meetings with the US were scheduled, as an Iranian delegation held talks with Qatari and Pakistani officials in Doha. Reuters reported that indirect US-Iran technical talks have begun, while Tehran continues to demand Hormuz guarantees and the release of frozen assets.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday formally denied that any direct meetings with the United States were scheduled in Doha, even as indirect technical talks proceed. Spokesman Esmail Baghaei said the Iranian delegation in Qatar was focused on implementing a bilateral memorandum with Doha, including the release of restricted Iranian assets — not on engaging the American delegation. The denial came hours after a senior Iranian official told Reuters that indirect talks with the US were continuing (The Zioneer, Wed 12:35 Jerusalem), centered on frozen assets and the status of the Strait of Hormuz.
Earlier on Wednesday, The Zioneer reported the same official’s confirmation that the Doha track remains active (Wed 11:49 Jerusalem). The thread opened with that confirmation, which was then followed by Baghaei’s public denial — creating a split between private negotiating channels and Tehran’s official public stance. Reuters later reported that indirect US-Iran technical talks have begun, lending weight to the senior official’s account despite the Foreign Ministry’s distance.
As The Zioneer reported on Tuesday June 30, Iranian negotiator Marandi denied a claim by President Trump that the US sought a Doha meeting and said it was Washington that requested the encounter. Over the past month, the desk has tracked a pattern of Iranian denials of direct engagement even as multiple channels stay open: on Monday June 29, Tehran also denied direct talks with the US in Doha, citing a focus on memorandum implementation. Concurrently, the Wall Street Journal reported that the IRGC has conveyed through Qatari mediators that it will again close the Strait of Hormuz unless Iran receives guarantees of exclusive control over the waterway.
What remains open is whether any direct US-Iran meeting has actually been scheduled or discussed at a level above the technical talks. The Foreign Ministry’s categorical denial does not address the indirect track, which Reuters and a senior Iranian official both describe as active. The discrepancy between the public denial and the reported private discussions has not been formally reconciled.
3 developments
- ConfirmedIran deputy FM: no US talks this week, denies coordination with American visit to Qatar
- StrongIran rejects Qatari proposal for trilateral meeting with US
- StrongIran will take part in Doha talks this week, source tells NBC
- StrongIranian spokesman: no trip to Pakistan or Geneva in coming days, deal not imminent
Source and signal
- Internal intake