Iran says no talks scheduled with US in Qatar, final negotiations yet to begin

Iran has firmly denied any upcoming negotiation meetings with the United States in Qatar, dismissing speculation surrounding its delegation's visit to the Gulf nation. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei stated that the trip is solely to follow up on the implementation of provisions within an existing memorandum of understanding (MoU).

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In the coming days, we have no negotiation meetings at any level with the American side.

"In the coming days, we have no negotiation meetings at any level with the American side," Baghaei asserted during a press briefing, as reported by Iran's Fars News Agency. He emphasized that the presence of US representatives in Qatar is unrelated to the Iranian delegation's purpose.

Baghaei further clarified that Iran has not yet entered the phase of negotiating a comprehensive final agreement. According to Article 13 of the 14-point MoU, the commencement of final agreement negotiations is contingent upon the initiation and continued implementation of specific articles, including confidence-building measures related to Iran's frozen assets.

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The fact that US representatives are travelling to Qatar has no connection with the trip of the Iranian delegation, which is being undertaken to follow up on the implementation of the provisions of the memorandum of understanding, including Article 11.

This statement contrasts with White House reports suggesting US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Senior Adviser Jared Kushner would travel to Doha for discussions with Iran. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt had indicated the meeting followed a request from Iran, with President Trump aiming to continue the peace process. Baghaei's remarks underscore Iran's position that preliminary steps must be fulfilled before broader diplomatic talks can begin.

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We have not yet entered the negotiation phase for the final agreement.