A Qatari foreign ministry spokesman said Tuesday that US envoys Witkoff and Kushner will visit Qatar to meet mediators and discuss the talks' progress, and that $6 billion in frozen Iranian funds have not yet been transferred. Iran's foreign ministry countered that it has no plans to meet Americans at any level, attaching the same condition to the $6 billion, and rejected French involvement in clearing the Strait of Hormuz.
A fresh divergence emerged Tuesday afternoon between Qatari and Iranian accounts of the status of US-Iran talks and blocked funds, as a pair of US envoys prepare to arrive in Doha.
A Qatari foreign ministry spokesman, speaking at 14:46 Jerusalem, said US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will visit Qatar to meet with mediators and discuss the talks' progress. He added that $6 billion in frozen Iranian assets, held under a 2023 humanitarian framework, have not yet been transferred to Iran, and that any transfer requires mutual agreement. He also welcomed French participation in clearing mines from the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran's foreign ministry spokesman rejected this account across several points. He stated that Tehran has no plans to meet Americans at any level in the coming days, and that there was never an intention to do so — pushing back against any narrative of a canceled meeting. According to the Iranian version, the Doha discussions relate exclusively to implementing articles of a memorandum of understanding with the Qatari delegation. On the frozen assets, the Iranian spokesman said the process is underway and Tehran hopes for the desired outcome, but he did not confirm Qatari assertions about the delay. He also asserted that clearing the Strait of Hormuz is Iran's exclusive responsibility, rejecting French involvement.
As The Zioneer reported earlier Tuesday (14:03 and 14:10 Jerusalem), Qatar had earlier clarified that Witkoff and Kushner will not meet Iran in Doha, and that the $6 billion had not been transferred. We also reported (June 13) that Qatar proposed a $12 billion compromise plan for releasing the assets, which Iran has not publicly accepted, and noted unconfirmed reports of progress on a deal. The current statements from both sides, captured side-by-side at 14:46 Jerusalem, show the gap between Doha and Tehran's accounts remains wide. No US or independent confirmation of either party's version of the asset status was available at time of drafting.
11 developments
- ConfirmedQatar says $6 billion in frozen Iranian funds not yet transferred to Iran
- DevelopingWitkoff and Kushner arrive in Qatar for Iran nuclear talks
- StrongQatar proposes $12 billion compromise to unlock Iranian frozen assets
- DevelopingQatar offers Iran favorable timeline on frozen funds in push to avert strike, diplomatic sources say
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