Washington DC, June 29: US President Donald Trump on Monday stated that Iran had requested a meeting with the United States following recent tensions over the Strait of Hormuz and announced that talks between the two countries would take place in Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said, “IRAN HAS REQUESTED A MEETING. IT WILL TAKE PLACE TOMORROW IN DOHA!”
According to Axios, the proposed meeting is aimed at addressing disputes related to the Strait of Hormuz, where recent military activity and tensions have affected maritime traffic in the strategic waterway.
A senior US official told Axios that both sides had agreed to halt military activity, while another official said that vessels would be allowed to move freely and that technical discussions were expected to continue. US officials and a source familiar with the matter confirmed that talks were planned for Tuesday.
However, Iranian officials denied reports suggesting that technical negotiations had been scheduled this week.
According to Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB, Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi said that no technical working group meetings had been arranged under the framework of the 14-point Memorandum of Understanding aimed at reducing tensions in West Asia.
“No technical working group meetings are scheduled for this week,” Gharibabadi said in response to media reports.
He stated that consultations with Qatar were continuing, including discussions related to the implementation of commitments by the other party, but said reports claiming that technical working group discussions were currently taking place in Doha could not be confirmed.
Gharibabadi said the first round of technical talks would be held only after the necessary conditions are met and an agreement is reached regarding the date and venue. He added that consultations on these issues are continuing through intermediary countries.
Qatar continues to play a mediating role in contacts between Tehran and Washington.The differing statements from Washington and Tehran indicate that both sides maintain separate public positions regarding the status and timing of any potential negotiations.